Lancashire remains in Tier 3: reasons, reaction and all you need to know

It follows the government’s review of the rules announced on Thursday - and means there will be no change to the regulations that were put in place after the national lockdown ended earlier this month.

Hospitality venues will continue to be restricted to takeaway service only and household mixing in all indoor and most outdoor settings will remain banned.

Data published on Wednesday, as the government was making its decision, showed that Lancashire's rolling seven-day case rate had grown since 26th November, when it was announced that the county would be put into Tier 3 following the England-wide lockdown.

The figure stood at 198.9 per 100,000 people compared to 176.6 three weeks earlier - although the county is only fractionally above the England average of 196.3.

Preston, Chorley, Ribble Valley and Wyre are amongst seven of Lancashire’s 14 districts where case rates have risen over the same period, while they have fallen in districts including South Ribble.

However, the over-60s infection rate - one of the government's other key criteria for assessing the tiering arrangements - undermined any case the county had for a shift to Tier 2.

Preston has a higher rate in that vulnerable age group than any other part of Lancashire - 241.4 per 100,000 in the week to 11th December.

Chorley also exceeds the 200 mark - understood to be a threshold of concern for the government, because of the increased likelihood that people who contract Covid in that age bracket will require hospital treatment.

Across Lancashire, the average over-60s rate is currently 179.3, significantly higher than the England figure of 133.0.

Preston City Council leader Matthew Brown said that the statistics meant he supported the Tier 3 decision this time round - having been a critic of the status when it was imposed on Lancashire in the weeks before and after November’s national lockdown.

“It’s not going to be what anybody wants to hear, but with Christmas coming we have got to be cautious. There is probably a third peak of the virus going to hit at some point, so we have got to protect ourselves against that as well.

“Infection rates are rising, especially in older people - so this is the right decision.

“It’s not the same as immediately after the lockdown when those rates were falling,” Cllr Brown said.

However, he called for measures to better drive down the virus in the community, so that Preston and the rest of the county can drop to Tier 2 as soon as possible.

“If we did more around schools, we might be able to tackle the virus in the places where it’s most prevalent.

“I’ve previously called for blended learning and rotas [between remote and classroom learning] - and ensuring that, in class, children wear masks and teachers wear visors.

“Schools are where the infection is, not hospitality - it’s very unfair on local, independent, family-owned businesses that they have to remain shut, because we’re not dealing with schools effectively,” he said.

The government announced earlier this week a programme of mass testing for secondary schools, starting in January.

Secondaries will also move to remote learning from the start of the new term until 11th January, for all years except those where pupils are due to take exams, it was revealed on Thursday afternoon.

Lancashire's representative on the executive of the National Education Union, Ian Watkinson, told the Post earlier this week that there needed to be at least a ten-day period between the end of the Christmas relaxation of the tiering rules and children gathering in class.

However, primary pupils will return as planned on 4th January.

Meanwhile, South Ribble Borough Council leader Paul Foster said that locals had not been rewarded for their efforts in driving the infection rate down in the district. The area’s over-60s case rate has also dropped down below the 200 mark in recent days.

“This is devastating for the region. Our businesses have been doing all they can to make sure they are sticking to the rules and making sure their businesses are Covid-safe - and to remain in Tier 3 over the Christmas period will truly be catastrophic for them.

"Our residents, too, have been making the ultimate sacrifice, to not spend time with their loved ones.

“We urged the government to review the case figures and make fair choices and I don’t think this has happened. I’m more than disappointed that the government is not engaging or listening to us, or dealing with the real issues which are causing the virus to spread.

“I say this to our residents and businesses: as a council we are behind you and we will do all we can to support you and to continue to lobby government to change their mind,” said Cllr Foster, who also appealed for residents to keep following the rules to give Lancashire a better chance of moving to Tier 2.

Health secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons on Thursday that areas should not despair that they cannot escape from the top tier of restrictions.

“The best way to get out of tier 3 is by everybody coming together to comply with the restrictions - and not just to comply with them because they are the law but to take responsibility to ensure that we do not spread the virus, which each one of us can do unwittingly because of its asymptomatic nature.

“We can get areas out of tier 3 and we can get areas out of tier 2 and into tier 1, but we all have to work at it,” Mr. Hancock said.

A majority of Lancashire's leaders last week called upon the government to move into Tier 2 any areas of the county where the epidemiology supported it. However, the county council's director of public health, Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi, is understood to have recommended to council chiefs that Tier 3 remain in place across the board for now.

The five-day relaxation of the restrictions over Christmas will still go ahead from 23rd December. However, Dr. Karunanithi has urged caution over the permitted mixing between up to three households.

"The virus will not be taking a break for Christmas," he told the Post earlier this week.

COVID CASE RATES

Coronavirus cases per 100,000 of the population in the week to 13th Dec (compared to the day Tier 3 decision was made on 26th Nov) - and in the over-60s age band in the week to 11th Dec.

Blackburn with Darwen

233.1 (down from 286.6)

Over-60s - 234.7

Blackpool

159.2 (down from 168.5)

Over-60s - 187.8

Burnley

318.3 (up from 280.0)

Over-60s - 191.9

Chorley

204.7 (up from 190.3)

Over-60s - 225.8

Fylde

120.1 (down from 157.2)

Over-60s - 103.4

Hyndburn

206.1 (down from 266.5)

Over-60s - 169.8

Lancaster

137.6 (up from 123.9)

Over-60s - 141.3

Pendle

257.3 (down from 293.1)

Over-60s - 194.6

Preston

215.2 (up from 199.8)

Over 60s - 241.4

Ribble Valley

231.6(up from 182.3)

Over-60s - 181.8

Rossendale

221.0 (down from 278.4)

Over-60s - 141.4

South Ribble

167.9 (down from 237.4)

Over-60s - 186.3

West Lancashire

187.2 (up from 113.7)

Over-60s 141.5

Wyre

125.8 (up from 119.5)

Over-60s - 169.5

Lancashire overall case average (week to 13th Dec) - 198.9

England overall case average (week to 13th Dec) - 196.3

Over-60s Lancashire average (week to 11th Dec) - 179.3

Over-60s England average (week to 11th Dec) - 133.0

Source: gov.uk

A REMINDER OF THE TIER 3 RULES

Tier 3 restrictions mean:

***people must not meet socially indoors, in a private garden or some outdoor public venues with anybody they do not live with or have a support bubble with. Everyone who can work from home should do so;

***people can see friends and family they do not live with (or do not have a support bubble with) in some outdoor public places - such as parks or public gardens in a group of up to 6;

***weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions are not allowed, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, 15 people can attend linked commemorative events;

***accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, holiday lets and guest houses must close, other than where very limited exceptions apply;

***hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha bars), pubs, cafes, restaurants, and social clubs must close except for takeaway, delivery, drive-through and click and collect services. Takeaway must cease between 23:00 and 5:00, but delivery, drive-through and click-and-collect may continue during this period. This includes restaurants and bars within hotels or members’ clubs;

***indoor entertainment venues, such as casinos, bowling alleys, and bingo halls must close. Outdoor entertainment venues, such as botanical gardens and heritage sites, may stay open, although indoor elements at these attractions must also close. Cinemas, theatres, and concert venues must close; except for drive-in events; and

***leisure and sports facilities may continue to stay open, but group exercise classes (including fitness and dance) should not go ahead.

Further details can be found on gov.uk.