VULNERABLE residents in Basingstoke could be asked to stay at home this winter if the town becomes a Covid hotspot.

Asking people deemed 'clinically vulnerable' to shield from the virus is believed to be among measures in consideration for the top tier of the simplified local lockdown system, set to be announced next week.

But the shielding decision has not been finalised and could be delayed over fears of the impact on the mental health of people asked not to leave their house for months on end, according to The Times.

The new local lockdown system, reported to be announced next week, is set to be simplified after the government were criticised over the presently confusing system.

It will feature three tiers - with the lowest containing the national guidance such as the rule of six, and the middle and upper tier featuring slightly tougher restrictions.

It comes as the number of coronavirus cases in the country continues to rise - in Basingstoke yesterday, 18 new cases were confirmed with a positive test.

The new shielding system will try to avoid the blanket rules given at the height of the pandemic in March, which saw 2.2 million people told to not leave their home to protect themself from coronavirus.

Instead, deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries is working on a tailored scheme, the Times reports, which would give specific advice to people based on an algorithm.