Towns and cities under ‘local lockdown’ restrictions will be placed on ‘Tier 2’ lockdown under the government’s new tiered scheme, the Prime Minister has announced in a statement. Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Middlesbrough, Wakefield and South Yorkshire are among those expected to move onto the new ‘Tier 2’ this week, with the majority of the UK remaining on looser ‘Tier 1’ rules.
The new tiering system comes as the UK’s infection rate continues to rise rapidly, with the country reporting higher numbers of COVID cases now than those reported when the country originally went into a national lockdown in March.
Here’s how the new tiering system will work:
- Tier 1: 10pm curfew on bars and restaurants and a ban on gatherings of more than 6 people.
- Tier 2: Bans on indoor household mixing, with only outdoor gatherings of up to 6 permitted.
- Tier 3: Pubs, restaurants and gyms closed, non-essential travel banned, overnight stays banned, no social contact in any setting.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to address the nation at 6pm this evening to outline the new restrictions, with Merseyside so far the only area confirmed to be heading into a ‘Tier 3’ lockdown as of this Wednesday. Restrictions will be placed on areas with higher infection rates for four weeks at a time, before being reduced, increased or renewed depending on how well the virus is contained.
East Yorkshire and the remainder of North Yorkshire remain as a medium risk, with Tier 1 rules applying.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with further information as it comes.
