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Large areas of southern England remain at Level 2, despite having higher infection rates than parts of the northeast.
Norfolk, Suffolk and North Somerset have avoided the most stringent restrictions.
However, all three currently have a higher rate than Gateshead, which remained at Level Three despite a massive reduction in cases.
ChronicleLive’s exclusive analysis has prompted calls from a Northeast Labor MP that our region is being “bullied.”
“I think it’s very difficult for me to suggest otherwise (that this is politically motivated),” said Ian Mearns, the Gateshead MP.
“And I not only look at the levels, but there is a whole range of things that this government does in a partisan way, such as the distribution of resources. It is not only this sector that they are bothering us.
“All they have done is take money from our region and put it in more affluent regions.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced Thursday that the Northeast will remain at Level 3 for at least another fortnight, a decision Mearns previously compared to “getting the sticky end of the stick.”
That means pubs, bars and restaurants that don’t offer takeaway service must be closed for the run-up to Christmas. Hopes that soccer fans could return to St James’ Park this weekend were also dashed.
While cases are increasing again in most of the LA7 council areas, both Gateshead and North Tyneside, where cases are still declining, currently have lower infection rates than some Level 2 areas.
Gateshead’s rate is currently 100.5, well below the national average. In North Tyneside, that rate is 129.9.
Both, however, currently have a lower rate than Warrington (155.2), Rutland (142.8) and Northamptonshire (167).
In fact, only South Tyneside and Northumberland have higher rates than Northamptonshire, where cases were also up 26 percent last week.
All seven MPs from Northamptonshire are Conservatives. Among them is former House Leader Andrea Leadsom.
(Image: Newcastle chronicle)
The Health Secretary revealed on Thursday that the Northeast remained at Level 3 due to fears that the virus could rise again, especially with the restrictions lowered for five days over Christmas.
“The decrease in the areas now could lead to further increases in the number of cases and, in general, the epidemiological indicators are still too high for the area to go down to Level 2,” he said.
Hancock also cited South Tyneside’s very high infection rate, which at 316.6 is now the highest north of Burnley.
(Image: PA Wire)
However, analysis of the data shows that many other regions outside of the Northeast have a mix of Level 2 and 3.
Among them, East Sussex, which is largely represented by Conservative MPs.
While some parts, like Hastings, will be at Level 3 as of Saturday, other parts will still be at Level 2, despite an overall current infection rate of 237.
According to the Newcastle City Council Covid-19 panel, the Northeast’s average infection rate as of Thursday was 162.
Mearns said England’s Public Health officials briefed MPs on Thursday about the tier system and asked the question to which many people and businesses in the Northeast want to know the answer: How do we get out of Tier 3?
“There was no exact answer, but the general rule of thumb would be to get the number of cases per 100,000 to around 120,” he revealed.
On December 30, when the restrictions are revised, all eyes will be on the region’s infection rate and how close it is to that magic number.
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