Herts County Council have issued a plea for people to 'play their part' after the county including Hitchin are set to be moved into Tier 3 this weekend.

The call came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered the whole of Hertfordshire to be placed into the strictest measures to combat the rising spread of Covid.

In a speech in the House of Commons on Thursday lunchtime, Matt Hancock announced that our town and all of our county will be in Tier 3 from Saturday.

In a tweet the county council said: "From 00:01 on Saturday, December 19 the whole of Hertfordshire will move into Tier 3.

"Please familiarise yourself with the new restrictions and continue to play your part to help us stop the spread of coronavirus in Hertfordshire."

With the government moving Hitchin and north Herts into Tier 3, here's a reminder of what you can and can't do.

Here's what Tier 3 means for your and your family

Meeting family and friends

Meeting indoors

You must not meet socially indoors with anybody you do not:

-live with

-have a support bubble with

-Unless a legal exemption applies.

'Indoors' means any indoor setting, including:

-private homes

-other indoor venues such as pubs and restaurants

Meeting outdoors

-You must not meet socially (in a private garden or at most outdoor public venues), with anybody you do not:

-live with

-have a support bubble with

-Unless a legal exemption applies.

However, you can see friends and family you do not live with (or do not have a support bubble with) in some outdoor public places, in a group of up to 6. This limit of 6 includes children of any age.