New deal struck for city and towns to join Tier 3
Hundreds of thousands more face toughest rules
HUNDREDS of thousands more people will be placed under the most stringent coronavirus restrictions as a deal to put Nottingham and some surrounding boroughs into Tier 3 was struck with the Government.
The tougher rules for Nottingham, Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe council areas will come into force on Thursday, with details of the measures expected to be outlined today.
It comes just hours after it was confirmed that Warrington will enter Tier 3 today, with pubs and bars in the Cheshire town having to close unless they serve substantial meals.
Households will be banned from mixing indoors or in private gardens and beer gardens, while betting shops, adult gaming centres, casinos and soft play centres will also close as part of the decision to put the town into the highest alert level in England.
It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said areas would have to prove that their infection rate was “coming down”, especially among those aged 60 or over, before they could be removed from the strictest measures.
He has also refused to rule out bringing in a tougher set of Tier 4 impositions following reports
another level is being considered to tackle England’s rise in infections.
Going into Tier 3 means pubs and bars have to close unless they serve meals while households are banned from mixing indoors or in private gardens and beer gardens.
Over the weekend, South Yorkshire became the latest region to come under the highest tier of controls.
Asked about the criteria for an area to exit Tier 3, Mr Hancock said: “The first thing that’s most important is that the case rate has
to be coming down, and in particular we look at the number of cases amongst the over- 60s because that’s the number that is likely to translate into hospital admissions and sadly into deaths.”
The Government has faced criticism that the NHS Test and Trace service, which was supposed to be the key to controlling the disease, is failing. The leaders of West Yorkshire councils said they have “repeated our calls to Government that further local action needs to be taken, including strengthening community engagement and test and trace”.
The first thing that’s most important is the rate has to be coming down. Health Secretary Matt Hancock, on the criteria for an area to exit Tier 3.