FEARS OVER TIER 3 STATUS
CORONAVIRUS LATEST CITY AT RISK OF FACING TOUGHEST RESTRICTIONS WHEN LATEST LOCKDOWN ENDS AS CASES CONTINUE TO SOAR
BRISTOL is one of the places most at risk of entering the toughest local lockdown tier when England emerges from its second national lockdown.
More than 3,789 coronavirus infections were recorded in Bristol in the seven days up to November 16 and the city is now among the worst hit areas in the country.
On Monday alone 1,592 people tested positive for the virus in Bristol and 15 deaths have been recorded in the city in the last seven days.
England’s four-week lockdown is due to end on December 2, but it could be extended by days or even weeks – a move that would require the approval of MPs.
The Government is hoping for a return to the pre-lockdown system of local tiers and, if that happens, it could include new or tougher restrictions on households socialising over Christmas and the winter months.
The Government will decide next week how to end the current lockdown as scientists warned a tougher tier system is needed until vaccines can drive back the Covid19 pandemic.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said yesterday that ministers want to see a “significant easing” of coronavirus controls when the lockdown in England is lifted on December 2, but suggested tighter controls may be needed in the top Tier 3.
It comes after Susan Hopkins, medical director of Public Health England (PHE) and chief medical adviser to NHS Test and Trace, said ministers would have to look at “strengthening” the tier system.
Speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, she said: “We have recognised that the tiering of the country has had a different effect in each area,” she said.
“Tier 3 – and especially tier 3 plus in the north – has had an effect of reducing the number of cases in the north west, and we can see north west’s number of cases declining now.”
But she warned tier 2 was only working in some areas – and tier 1 was hardly working at all.
She said: “Tier 2 seems to hold in some areas and not so well in others so really it depends on how fast transmission is occurring and how well the individuals in the population are taking that advice in.
“We see very little effect of tier 1 restrictions.
“And I think when we look at what tiers may be there in the future, we will have to think about strengthening them in order to get us through the winter months until the vaccine is available for everyone.”
Southern England has so far managed to avoid Tier 3 lockdown restrictions.
But cases have soared in Bristol recently and officials here are worried.
The current rate for the City of Bristol is 486.6 per 100,000 people.
The council has said the city is at a “very critical point” as coronavirus cases continue to rise.
However, Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said last week he didn’t want the city to be placed into Tier 3 after the lockdown.