Three-tier lockdown
But he said the actions of people across the country in following rules such as social distancing had prevented case numbers and hospital admissions from being far worse.
Prof Whitty said he was “very confident” the measures being put in place would slow the virus but suggested tighter restrictions may be needed for regions in Tier 3.
And he pledged the UK would be in a “remarkably better place” next winter, saying: “This does not depend on a vaccine, science will support us from many different directions.
“I cannot predict, and no-one can predict what are the combinations of treatments, vaccines, diagnostics and other interventions that we will have available to us, but I am extremely confident that when we go into the next winter we will do so in a remarkably better place than we do today.”
Addressing the new measures in a joint statement, metro mayor Steve Rotheram, city mayor Joe Anderson and the leaders of Liverpool City Region’s six local authorities said it was made clear by ministers that
Merseyside would be placed in the highest tier “regardless of if we engaged with them or not”.
The local leaders said they shared the Government’s “grave concerns” about the pressure on the region’s hospitals and had worked with Whitehall to negotiate a package of support for the region.
Liverpool City Region is so far the only area to be placed in the “very high” category.
The Prime Minister said talks were continuing with local leaders in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber about the approach there and the support available if they moved into the third tier.
“I know how difficult this is – they like us, like everyone in this House, are grappling with very real dilemmas.
“But we cannot let the NHS fall over when lives are at stake.”
He said authorities being placed in the “very high” alert level would gain extra support from Whitehall – including the possibility of military assistance to support local services.
There was £1 billion of new support on offer to local authorities across England, Mr Johnson said.
Measures would be kept under review, with a four-week sunset clause for areas facing the toughest restrictions.
Mr Johnson defended the approach adopted by the Government in attempting to keep much of the economy open while curbing the spread of the virus.
“This is not how we want to live our lives, but this is the narrow path we have to tread between the social and economic trauma of a full lockdown and the massive human and indeed economic cost of an uncontained epidemic,” he said.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “The question today is whether the restrictions announced by the Prime Minister can bring the country back from the brink, whether they can regain control of the virus and provide the support and confidence that local businesses and communities need.
“That is how high the stakes now are.”
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chairman Mike Cherry said: “Small businesses recognise that safety must come first. However, there’s no escaping the fact that this new system will mean huge disruption for firms all over England, many of which have borne the brunt of restrictions over the last six months.
“Small businesses that have spent thousands on safety measures for their premises, and made every effort to follow existing guidelines, will now be told to close. Any further restrictions placed on them should be evidence-led – transparency is a must.
“The tier system will only work if the funding for business support and guidance to accompany it is sufficient, crystal clear and timely.”