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At a high-level government meeting, a plan for the national lockdown implemented from Boxing Day was discussed, while Birmingham could enter Level 4 before Christmas.
The government discussed the plans at a meeting of the Gold Command on Tuesday, The Mirror reports.
A source at the meeting told The Mirror: “The situation is developing rapidly, so we must respond at the same pace.
“Other parts of England are more likely to be able to enter Level 4 from Boxing Day.”
Gold Command meetings are held among top health officials, politicians, and local leaders.
They consider, among other things, how to contain the virus in an area.
Sources at the meeting said they ultimately decided they could delay the drastic move towards a national shutdown for now.
(Image: Vincent Cole Manchester Evening News)
It is understood that the Cabinet had previously discussed plunging the entire country to the highest level when it met on Saturday.
The ministers ultimately decided to initially focus on London and the South East, where cases of the new variant are highest.
Announcement of a post-Christmas lockdown could come tomorrow (Wednesday).
Some in Whitehall want new restrictions to apply across the UK as early as Boxing Day.
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Many in government are pushing for it to be delayed for a few days to avoid further travel chaos.
The level review was due to take place on December 30, but fear that the mutant strain is now “everywhere” is leading to decisions being made.
Cabinet Minister Michael Gove led calls at Saturday’s meeting for Level 4 to be imposed nationwide, the sources said.
That prompted one minister to joke afterward: “Just because Michael’s family doesn’t want to see him doesn’t mean he should be able to prevent us from seeing ours.”
(Image: PA)
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said that with cases increasing just 1% in that region, he didn’t think Level 4 was justified yet.
He stated that it was “not inevitable” that there would be another national shutdown after Christmas if the existing restrictions worked.
But he warned: “We could now be facing the most dangerous moment of this pandemic.
“We are all thinking about closing, signing… but we are not in that position this year.
“There are real risks out there.”
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In the northeast, public health chiefs warned that it was “very likely” that the new strain had already reached the region.
They said: “While there is no clear evidence that the new strain is still spreading in the Northeast such as Kent and the Southeast, it is highly likely that it is already present.”
A meeting of the Northeast Gold Command is expected on Thursday.
However, regional leaders do not believe the case rates are high enough to rank at Tier 4.
Chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance warned yesterday that the variant was now “everywhere” across the country.
He suggested that stricter lockdown measures may be needed for the third time across the country after Christmas.
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