Ministers are preparing to impose the toughest coronavirus restrictions on London from as early as Wednesday as infections spread out of control, under plans being drawn up by the U.K. government. According to people familiar with the matter, the British capital city will be put into tier 3, the highest level of curbs, after infections and hospitalization rates soared. Health officials briefed members of Parliament on the plans, as the city’s mayor Sadiq Khan called for schools to close and face coverings to be made compulsory in shopping streets to stem a surge in cases. One MP -- Rupa Huq -- said the whole of London and parts of some surrounding areas will be put into tier 3 from Wednesday. Huq said Health Secretary Matt Hancock informed MPs of the move in a call on Monday. People people familiar with the government’s thinking also said they expected the city will move into tier 3 from Wednesday or Thursday. A switch to tier 3 would see London’s pubs, bars, restaurants and indoor entertainment venues forced to close in a huge blow to businesses -- just days before the U.K. is given a five-day relaxation of the rules over Christmas. Between Dec. 23 and 27, people are free to mingle with two other households indoors, which doctors have warned will lead to a rise in infections and hospitalization rates over January and February. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2TwO8Gm Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world. To watch complete coverage on Bloomberg Quicktake 24/7, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/qt/live, or watch on Apple TV, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Fire TV and Android TV on the Bloomberg app. Have a story to tell? Fill out this survey for a chance to have it featured on Bloomberg Quicktake: https://cor.us/surveys/27AF30 Connect with us on… YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Bloomberg Breaking News on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BloombergQuickTakeNews Twitter: https://twitter.com/quicktake Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quicktake Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quicktake