There will be no new restrictions in England for New Year’s Eve, after prime minister Boris Johnson met again with scientists.
It’s thought that Johnson is continuing to pursue a strategy of ‘wait and see’.
Scotland and Northern Ireland now have tightened rules, with a return to table service only and social distancing reintroduced in several settings.
Nightclubs have also been closed in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
In Scotland provisional figures for cases reported over the Christmas weekend showed the highest daily totals so far in pandemic.
Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland, said: “Even if the percentage of cases needing hospital care much lower than for previous strains of virus, vert high numbers will still put a massive strain on NHS, and disrupt economy through staff absences.”