TOWN RISKS GOING INTO TIER 3
BURTON AND UTTOXETER RISK BEING PLACED IN HIGHEST TIER OF RESTRICTIONS WHEN LOCKDOWN COMES TO AN END
BURTON and Uttoxeter risk being plunged into Tier 3 restrictions when lockdown is over on December 2 as East Staffordshire’s Covid-19 rate approaches “very high” levels.
When the second England lockdown ends next month, districts will return to at least a three-tier system of restrictions, and possibly four.
The borough could be put into the “very high” level if it cannot stop its infection rate rising.
Staffordshire County Council said, as of yesterday, the county’s sevenday infection rate was 50 per cent higher than the national average.
In East Staffordshire alone, the rate was even higher than the county-wide figure, at 438.4 per 100,000 people, with 525 new cases across Burton and Uttoxeter.
When Liverpool went into Tier 3 measures on October 14, the rate was 468, while the overall rate for England was 227.4.
If East Staffordshire is placed in Tier 3 – the “very high” alert level – no households will be able to mix indoors or outdoors in hospitality venues or private gardens; the rule of six will apply in outdoor public spaces such as parks; pubs and bars not serving meals will close completely; and guidance against traveling in and out of the area will be issued.
The county council – which has warned the county risks facing further post-lockdown restrictions – could also put extra measures in place on top of this.
The “high” tier would mean no households can mix indoors, the rule of six will apply outdoors and the pubs and restaurants have to shut at 10pm.
Lastly, the “medium” tier – the lowest alert level – would see residents have to follow the “rule of six” if meeting indoors or outdoors.
East Staffordshire had been been moved from “medium” to “high” on the day the second England-wide lockdown began.
The infection rate for Staffordshire for the seven days to November 17 was 422.5, including 3,716 new cases.
The national rate for England in that time was 272.9, with 153,623 cases in the last seven days.
Staffordshire County Council does not release the up-to-date sevenday infection rate as a matter of course.
Now students from Burton and South Derbyshire College have been highlighting the “long shadow being cast” by the virus in a new video.
Daniel Matthews, Brandon Davies, Charlotte Moore-smith, Raheem Abad and Eliasz Lata shared a number of concerns, including their prospects of finding employment in the future, their further education being affected and ongoing uncertainty causing them to put plans for their futures on hold.
The clip is part of the Our World in Our Hands campaign, which aims to highlight the impact of Covid-19 among 16-to-24-year-olds, including on their health, family and plans for the future.
Dr Johnny Mcmahon, the council’s cabinet member for health, care and wellbeing, said: “It’s been an extremely challenging year for our county’s young people, who are feeling the impacts of coronavirus at a time in their lives when they’re trying to plan for their future and make their way in the world.
“Many will have missed out on experiences with their friends and been unable to see loved ones for support during some really stressful moments.
“It’s fantastic that Burton and South Derbyshire College is supporting the campaign and I’d particularly like to thank these students for talking to us about their experiences and highlighting to their peers the importance of doing all they can to minimise the impact on their health and future.”