New 4-tier system for England

[Paul_10]

I really do hope the numbers do drop in the tier 4 areas but honestly more regions should of entered tier 4 and not do it when it's too late.

The reluctance to close schools for a longer period of time is infuriating, loads of mixing goes on there and most people that age are not really going to do social distancing and wear masks(regardless if they are that effective or not).

If the numbers don't improve and evidence the rate is going up countrywide, then I can't see anything other than a lockdown but hopefully once Xmas and New year is over then less people will be shopping we may see the numbers drop.

 

[6862]

Hancock just said we would be back to normal by 2022. That means never.

 

[hwl]

As I understand it there is no evidence either way because there hasn't been a study or clinical trials. Virtually all of the people who should be listened to are saying the probabilities are this variant will have no or limited effect on how the vaccine will work but of course those who thrive on scaremongering will take the no evidence the vaccine will work line.

Pfizer and BioNtech say the mutations are virtually all in part of the virus that the vaccine doesn't replicated - the problem mutations aren't on the "spike". The vaccine also doesn't replicated the spike in one go but many key elements of the spike separately as a mitigation strategy against mutations.
Much more sophisticated than traditional vaccines.

The Oxford group has similarly that their vaccine should be unaffected.

 

[bramling]

Don't forget there's another week to go, plenty of time to decide on some more "concerning" & "worrying" new variants....

The media are certainly having a field day today.

 

[Paul_10]

And as I predicted, they've been and put Bristol back into Tier 3 again(though 6 days earlier than I thought it would be). So Bristol was back into Tier 2 for just 9 days only! When Bristol went down to Tier 2, many shops, pubs, restaurants were very happy they could re-open again, and people were feeling a little happier. This turned out to be very short lived! As I said, all this chopping and changing of non-essential retail and pubs, cafes, restaurants, etc having to keep closing and opening every couple of weeks(or even less) is not good for them atall. It's messing all these businesses about, and many of them I fear will end up having to close down for good as a result of all this ongoing nonsense.

Can't deny, I was shocked any areas dropped down a tier at the last review, it came across too me as look we are not afraid to drop areas down despite perhaps a spike occurring elsewhere.

All in all a terrible decision which hospitality in particular gets the raw end of the deal.

 

[joncombe]

Hancock just said we would be back to normal by 2022. That means never.

Yes. Very concerning. See here on the BBC

To quote

The last question comes from Arj Singh from HuffPost. He asks if, given the highly-transmissible new variant, the government is guilty of overpromising by suggesting the UK can return to normality by Easter.

Hancock replies that he is "highly confident we will get things back to normal before 2022" adding that the speed of the vaccine roll-out is accelerating.

Sounds like the goal posts have been moved, yet again.

 

[bramling]

Hancock seemingly reluctant to close schools (which is a good thing in my book), referring to more testing, etc.

I think it will happen, just that this isn’t the most salient issue with the holidays just having started. It won’t occur to people like Hancock that people might need to plan their childcare or whatever.

 

[chris11256]

Yes. Very concerning. See here on the BBC

To quote



Sounds like the goal posts have been moved, yet again.

Just a tad! Although the more cynical side of me thinks he's said 2022 to give as noncommital an answer as possible rather than he seriously believes we'll be under lockdown/social distancing all year.

 

[DB]

Anyone got a list of where is going into each tier, and when?

I simply will not watch any broadcasts by the odious individuals who are inflicting yet more damage on the country.

 

[PHILIPE]

After a long absence from briefings Jenny Harries re-appeared with Mutt Hancock today.

 

[185143]

Anyone got a list of where is going into each tier, and when?

I simply will not watch any broadcasts by the odious individuals who are inflicting yet more damage on the country.

[Withdrawn] Full list of local restriction tiers by area

This page sets out the full list of local restriction tiers by area from 31 December.

www.gov.uk

Makes for pretty depressing reading.

 

[Ianno87]

The reluctance to close schools for a longer period of time is infuriating, loads of mixing goes on there and most people that age are not really going to do social distancing and wear masks(regardless if they are that effective or not).

I'm guessing you don't have kids and don't have to see the consequences of seeing your 4 year old's development and skills go backwards...

I think it will happen, just that this isn’t the most salient issue with the holidays just having started. It won’t occur to people like Hancock that people might need to plan their childcare or whatever.

Can't wait (sarcasm) to having to go back to balancing full time job and full time childcare at the same time. *Somehow* I made it through 6 months March-September through lots of sleep deprivation and just about resisting the urge to lob my laptop out of the window.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Anyone got a list of where is going into each tier, and when?

I simply will not watch any broadcasts by the odious individuals who are inflicting yet more damage on the country.

Sky News has a nice clear list
Sky News, Tier Changes on 23/12/2020

Far better than the British State Broadcasting Corporation.

COVID-19: Large swathes of East, South East and South West England put into Tier 4​

The regional lockdown will come into effect from Boxing Day, as another new "more transmissible" coronavirus variant is detected.

by Aubrey Allegretti
Political reporter @breeallegretti

The measure is effectively a regional lockdown and will come into force on Boxing Day in:

• Sussex
• Oxfordshire
• Suffolk
• Norfolk
• Cambridgeshire
• Parts of Essex currently not in Tier 4
• Waverley in Surrey
• Hampshire (apart from the New Forest)

Areas going into Tier 3 are:

• Bristol
• Gloucestershire
• Somerset
• Swindon
• Isle of Wight
• The New Forest
• Northamptonshire
• Cheshire
• Warrington

Cornwall and Herefordshire are also moving into Tier 2.

 

[Ianno87]

Liverpool still keeps Tier 2 for "good behaviour"?

 

[DB]

[Withdrawn] Full list of local restriction tiers by area

This page sets out the full list of local restriction tiers by area from 31 December.

www.gov.uk

Makes for pretty depressing reading.

Thanks. Looks like no change for Yorkshire for now then, although no doubt they'll be regularly tweaking things over the next few weeks to cause maximum anxiety and disruption.

 

[yorksrob]

I hope you Bristolians got a decent session in !

 

[NorthOxonian]

I hope you Bristolians got a decent session in !

Though many will sneak over the border to Keynsham, since Bath and North East Somerset bizarrely* still stays in Tier 2 (even though Somerset itself is up to Tier 3 now).

* Well maybe not so bizarre - considering its rural western half is represented by Rees-Mogg...

 

[yorksrob]

Though many will sneak over the border to Keynsham, since Bath and North East Somerset bizarrely* still stays in Tier 2 (even though Somerset itself is up to Tier 3 now).

* Well maybe not so bizarre - considering its rural western half is represented by Rees-Mogg...

I'm sure North Yorkshire police will be happy to train the Somerset peelers on border control !

 

[kristiang85]

I've just caught up on the news.

I'm in Hampshire, so the lunacy is we are in Tier 2 on Christmas Eve, Tier 1 on Christmas Day, and Tier 4 on Boxing Day.

 

[Reliablebeam]

Well looks like I am now in tier 4, funnily enough I found this out from the guys at the Costa in Oxford station who asked whether I'd read the news that afternoon... I did find it a bit strange that we were in tier 2 here when there are so many who commute back and forth between Reading, London and other places down the Great Western / M4 corridor so I suppose we have had an extra week 'freedom'. I've not had any word on what my workplace will do yet, but during the November lockdown we tried to keep going. From a personal point of view, I am fed up of lockdowns, I live on my own and really, really can't face the months ahead that this will inevitably drag on for, with not even the quiet pleasure of a coffee and cake in a local eatery. Similarly to the November lockdown, I will find my little ways to thumb my nose at hancock, and I've got quite good at it.

I have a feeling this tier 4 will prove as much use as a chocolate teapot. I saw there was some discussion upthread about how much further they could go. If these new strains are as transmissible as the epidemiology types reckon, the reality is they would need to close schools and 'non essential' workplaces, neither of which are particularly desirable. We may be screwed, even if they start issuing the Oxford/AZ vaccine next week, but I guess the combined effects of the two might conspire to end this quicker than the politicians might have expected.

'Beatings will continue until morale improves' eh!!

 

[trainophile]

Just to clarify once again if you'll forgive me... the 'do's and don'ts' say you should not travel outside your area or stay away overnight (in tiers other than 4). Is this still guidance or the rules? Given the earlier reported debacle at Southport, might one encounter trouble attempting to rock up there, and stay alone in private accommodation for a few days?

 

[DB]

Just to clarify once again if you'll forgive me... the 'do's and don'ts' say you should not travel outside your area or stay away overnight (in tiers other than 4). Is this still guidance or the rules? Given the earlier reported debacle at Southport, might one encounter trouble attempting to rock up there, and stay alone in private accommodation for a few days?

I'm sure others will be able to say for sure, but my understanding is that the travel 'rule' is only advice, so can be ignored, but the staying overnight rule (other than for work purposes) is actually in the law.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Only the Isles of Scilly left in Tier 1 by the looks of things. Isle of Wight gone straight from Tier 1 to 3.

That was a shock. I expected all the 1s to rise to 2, maybe not the Isles of Scilly.

 

[Kite159]

So an area with ~ 120 cases per 100k goes into tier 4, but an area with ~ 240 cases per 100k is only tier 3...

I guess someone high up must be travelling to the New Forest at some point.

 

[trainophile]

I'm sure others will be able to say for sure, but my understanding is that the travel 'rule' is only advice, so can be ignored, but the staying overnight rule (other than for work purposes) is actually in the law.

Oh bum, so I can't get a ticket refund but I can't stay in my flat either . I suppose I could say I was going "home" (sorry, it is a tiny second home that was bought 12 years ago for a very good reason), but then they would wonder where I'd been until then.

Edit: Unless I said I was going home the same day .

 

[DB]

Oh bum, so I can't get a ticket refund but I can't stay in my flat either . I suppose I could say I was going "home" (sorry, it is a tiny second home that was bought 12 years ago for a very good reason), but then they would wonder where I'd been until then.

Edit: Unless I said I was going home the same day .

If you own it you might be able to use the 'moving house' justification!

 

[trainophile]

If you own it you might be able to use the 'moving house' justification!

True, or what MPs call "flipping" - moving for three days then moving back!

 

[theblackwatch]

I see Warrington gets a special mention, even though I thought it was in Cheshire anyway. Or is it one of these places that can't decide where it is (Cheshire/Lancashire/Merseyside or Greater Manchester, depending what suits?).

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I see Warrington gets a special mention, even though I thought it was in Cheshire anyway. Or is it one of these places that can't decide where it is (Cheshire/Lancashire/Merseyside or Greater Manchester, depending what suits?).

It's not Greater Manchester (!)

 

[Domh245]

Life is time limited. Get used to it. Move on and live life.

I'd love to, but most of the things I enjoy doing are varying degrees of impractical through illegal