Who will make final decision on Sheffield entering Tier 2 on first review and how likely that will be

Mr Fell has also said that it is not possible to tell whether the city will be moved down into tier two restrictions come the review on December 16, and stressed the importance of continuing to follow the rules to the letter in order to drive case numbers down.

He said: “There is not a huge difference between tier three and national lockdown, certainly with regards to social mixing.

"It will be reviewed fortnightly and that review period will be up to December 17.

"It’s impossible to call what tier Sheffield will be in from December 17. The numbers are heading in the right direction but it is the Secretary of State’s decision as to where places will be.

Sheffield hospitals one of 50 hubs to start giving vaccine jabs to patients next week

"Sheffield figures continue to fall but they are high. They are falling from a high baseline.

"So what you continue to do does matter. We are all frustrated but please be careful and don’t undo the good work that we have all done.”

Mr Fell said that the ‘basics are still the basics’ and encouraged people to continue to wash their hands, keep socially distant and wear a face covering.

"Undubtedly it has saved lives,” he added. “You will never be able to see those lives or count those lives, but save lives it has, and pleae continue to do so.”