Every single person in England who wishes to enter a pub, restaurant, or bar will have to submit their personal details for tracking and tracing as of Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined.
The details provided will be held for 21 days, and venues that refuse to comply can be fined by the police.
Speaking at an extraordinary coronavirus press briefing - the first for nearly six weeks - alongside Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, Johnson also announced that the rules regarding gatherings will change, with any gathering of more than six people being deemed illegal.
However, groups of more than six can take place in the case of weddings, funerals, and organised team sports, so long as they are Covid-secure.
The new rules, dubbed the 'rule of six' by Johnson, apply to both indoor and outdoor spaces, and will be enshrined in law and enforced by the police.
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Johnson stated: "You must not meet socially in groups of more than six - and if you do, you will be breaking the law."
Earlier in the briefing, Johnson reiterated the need to socially distance, as well as washing hands and covering faces in public places, but said that he admitted that the rules had become 'quite complicated' and in need of simplification.
He was joined by the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, who explained how the number of positive cases had started to 'creep up again' across England.
He added: "Now we can see this spreading across the whole country. This is not just in a very small number of places, this is across the country. And that is the reason why we need to go on to act."
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Johnson apologised for the increased measures, but argued: "As your prime minister I must do what is necessary.
"These measures are not another national lockdown.
"The whole point of them is to avoid a second national lockdown."
He continued: "All this progress is contingent on continued scientific advances and though we're hopeful, I cannot 100 percent guarantee those advances will be made.
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"That's why it is so important that we take these tough measures now."
The PM also said that through working together, the UK could 'continue to drive this virus down and beat this virus before too long'.
He added: "Let's work together and follow the rules."
If this co-operation and - more crucially - the government's plans come together, Johnson stated that 'we could be able to get some aspects of our lives back to normal by Christmas'.
Featured Image Credit: PA