BORIS SPARES CITY IN NEW LOCKDOWN

PRIME MINISTER SAYS BRISTOL WILL STAY AS ‘MEDIUM RISK’ – FOR NOW OUTBREAK AT UNIVERSITY RISES TO 396 STUDENTS ARTS VENUES INCLUDING THE OLD VIC AND SS GREAT BRITAIN TO SHARE IN PACKAGE OF HELP WORTH £7 MILLION

I’m as convinced as I’ve ever been that the British people have the resolve to beat this virus and that together we will do just that

Prime Minister Boris Johnson from Downing Street last night

BRISTOL has been spared the worst of the Government’s tough new restrictions announced last night as the country fights against a dramatic rise in Covid numbers.

The city has seen the number of positive Covid-19 tests more than double in the past week.

The infection rate in the city, expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people, jumped from 44.2 to 95.4 in the week ending Thursday, October 8, as 442 more people were confirmed as having coronavirus.

But despite predictions earlier yesterday, Bristol was not named by the Prime Minster as he rolled out a new localised lockdown system in the House of Commons.

Boris Johnson warned that rising coronavirus cases and hospital admissions are flashing “like dashboard warnings in a passenger jet” as he set out a new three-tier system of alert levels for England.

Pubs and bars across Merseyside will close unless they serve food and alcohol as part of a sit-down meal as the Liverpool city region moves into a “very high” Covid alert level under the new system.

Addressing a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson said cases nationally had gone up four times in four weeks, there are more Covid-19 patients in UK hospitals than on March 23 when the country went into lockdown, and deaths are rising.

“These figures are flashing at us like dashboard warnings in a passenger jet and we must act now,” he said but stressed he was taking a “moderate” and “balanced” approach to saving lives while trying to protect the economy.”

Mr Johnson pledged that “no one affected by this will be left to fend for themselves”, with the Government having previously announced new financial assistance.

“No one, least of all me, wants to impose these kinds of restrictions, erosions of our personal liberty, but I’m convinced as I’ve ever been that the British people have the resolve to beat this virus and that together we will do just that,” Mr Johnson said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister launched the three-tier system of local alert levels for England, with the Liverpool city region placed in the most serious “very high” risk category from tomorrow.

Mr Johnson told MPs that the coming weeks and months would “test the mettle” of the country as it faced a second wave of Covid-19 cases.

Under the new arrangements: » The medium alert level will cover most of England and will consist of the current national measures, including the rule of six and the 10pm curfew.

» The high alert level reflects interventions in many areas subject to local restrictions, preventing mixing between different households indoors. Most areas which are already subject to local restrictions will automatically move into this category, as well as Nottinghamshire, East and West Cheshire and a small area of High Peak.

» The very high alert level will mean, at a minimum, the closure of pubs and bars and a ban on social mixing indoors and in private gardens.

MPs will debate and vote on the measures today and the new tiered system will come into effect on Wednesday.

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.

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.”