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Boris Johnson has revealed tough new local closures that will keep millions of homes from mingling with each other indoors and hundreds of pubs in Liverpool will close their doors for four weeks starting Wednesday.
The Prime Minister announced the measures alongside a three-tier Covid alert level system, which will see different parts of the country placed in different categories depending on infection rates, with areas at the highest tier facing the most stringent restrictions.
The first level of alert, which is medium, covers most of the country and consists of the national measures in force, such as the rule of six and the closure of the hotel business at 10:00 p.m.
The second alert level, which is high, “reflects interventions in many local areas at this time,” said the Prime Minister. This level prohibits home mixing or allows bubbles in any indoor setting, however separate homes may meet outdoors and in private gardens as long as the rule of six is followed.
Areas that are already under restrictions will automatically go to high alert level and as a result of increasing infection rates, Nottinghamshire, East and West Cheshire and a small area of High Peak will also go to high alert level.
According to a list published by Issue 10, the Greater Manchester, Warrington, Derbyshire, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, North East, Tees Valley, West Midlands, and Leicester areas are all at Level 2.
The very high alert level, the most severe in the system, “will apply where transmission rates are increasing the fastest and where the NHS could soon be under excruciating pressure without further restrictions.” In these areas, social mixing indoors and in private gardens will be prohibited and pubs and bars will be closed.
“We want to create the maximum possible local consensus behind this harsher local action,” said Boris Johnson. “So in each area we will work with local government leaders on the additional measures that need to be taken. This could lead to greater restrictions in the hospitality, leisure, entertainment or personal care sectors. ”
However, retail, schools, and universities will remain open in these areas.
Johnson confirmed that local authorities in the Liverpool city region will go to a very high alert level from Wednesday, and pubs and bars will also be closed. Gyms and leisure centers, gambling shops, adult gaming centers and casinos will also close.
Negotiations are currently underway between the government and local leaders to put more areas in the North West, North East and the Yorkshire Humber at Level 3.
MPs will debate and vote on the measures on Tuesday, and the new tiered system will take effect on Wednesday.
It comes after data presented Monday morning by England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam and NHS England Chief Medical Officer Professor Stephen Powis showed that cases in the North West and North East continue increasing at levels faster than the rest. from England.
However, Professor Van-Tam said it is “of great concern” that “in a matter of days” cases have increased across the country and are “reaching an additional land mass and southern England”. and the elderly.
There are also more hospitalized Covid-19 patients in the UK today than when the full shutdown was announced in March, the data showed.
The North West and North East and Yorkshire are seeing the fastest increase in hospital cases, with the NHS Foundation Trust of Liverpool University Hospitals seeing the steepest increase. The Trust now has more than 250 Covid-19 patients in their beds.
Professor Powis added that Nightingale hospitals in Manchester, Sunderland and Harrogate have been asked to “mobilize in the next few weeks” to be ready to accept patients if necessary. Regular testing will also be introduced for NHS staff in high-risk areas, regardless of whether they have symptoms.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own delegated governments and separate health systems. Pubs in central Scotland closed for just over two weeks to try to cut off close contact transmission, and there is a ban on housing other households indoors across the country.
Here’s everything we know about local blocking restrictions.
What is the three-tier system?
Local locks will be automatically triggered by a three-tier Covid alert level system, which divides the country into different areas based on local infection rates, which will determine the severity of local locks.
It will work in conjunction with the NHS Test and Trace app, where people scan a special QR code to enter and exit pubs, restaurants, and bars. The application will send a message to the user about the blocking conditions when the coronavirus risk profile changes.
In England, there are currently no areas in the UK that the new app considers low risk.
England will be divided into one of three tiers, each of which will have predetermined restrictions.
Level one, or medium alert level, cover most of the country and consists of the national measures in force, such as the six o’clock rule and the closure of the hotel business at 10pm.
Level two, or high alert level, prohibits hearths or support bubbles indoors. However, separate households may meet outdoors and in public gardens as long as the rule of six is followed.
Level three, or very high alert level, bans social mixing indoors and private gardens entirely, and bars and pubs will be closed as a base. However, the Government will decide with the local authorities on the adoption of new measures, including new restrictions in the hospitality, leisure, entertainment and personal care sectors. Stores, schools and universities will remain open in these areas.
