Liverpool City Region placed in most urgent tier of coronavirus alert system

Liverpool City Region has been placed in Tier Three, the most restrictive of the Government’s three-tier coronavirus lockdown measures. Greater Manchester has been placed in the less restrictive Tier Two level.

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire has been placed in Tier Two, as has East and West Cheshire, and Birmingham.

The announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson means that throughout the Liverpool region – which includes Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton – there will be no mixing indoors or in private gardens, pubs and bars will close, as will leisure centres, gyms, betting shops, casinos, and adult gaming centres. However, schools and universities will remain open.

The PM said: “Engagement with other leaders in the North West, the North East and Yorkshire and Humber is continuing.”

He added his appreciation of LCR Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram during negotiaions, saying: “I would like to put on record my thanks to Steve Rotheram and his colleagues for their cooperation in very difficult circumstances.”

The measures will come into effect on Wednesday.

Data extracted covering testing up to October 9, in Liverpool, show that the total number of confirmed cases for the past seven days is 3,031, an increase of 377 cases on the previous week. The latest weekly rate of COVID-19 in Liverpool is 608.6 per 100,000 population and the latest positivity testing rate is 17.3%.

Tier One represents a medium alert level, which covers most of the country. Tier Two is judged as high alert, while Tier Three is very high levels of alert.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement this afternoon in the House of Commons.

It followed a pledge by the hospitality industry in the region to mount a legal challenge against moves to introduce closures and lockdowns once again, led by Sacha Lord, night-time economy adviser for Greater Manchester and a board member of the Night Time Industries Association.

They argue that proposals to lock down the hospitality sector are not based on any “tangible scientific evidence” that closing venues suppresses transmission of coronavirus.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced support for business affected, including £3,000 per month for those forced to close, and furlough for workers worth two thirds of their wages, up to £2,100 per month.

However, there are fears that more than 440,000 could be claiming the furlough payments by November.

Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson, reacted to the PM’s announcement this afternoon by tweeting: “I’m annoyed the PM said we’ve reached an agreement when we want a higher level of furlough for those in hospitality.”

And in a joint statement, the Metro Mayor, City Mayor and leaders of the Liverpool City Region’s six local authorities said: “We share the Government’s grave concerns about the increasing pressure on our hospitals and remain absolutely committed to working with the Government to drive down the spread of the Coronavirus and the number of COVID-19 cases.

“It is, therefore, now as important as it has ever been that we do everything we can to contain the virus, protect our NHS and save lives.

“However, we want to be clear that there are some things upon which we have been able to agree with the Government, but others where we do not, such as the level of the furlough scheme.

“To assist with efforts to bring the number of cases down, we have gained agreement from government for new, local arrangements and funding support for more localised test, trace and isolate and also enforcement, specifically:

  • An enforcement package, with laws, not just guidance and advice, and funding and resources to enforce restrictions where necessary.
  • An effective local Track, Trace and Isolate package with the funding to support it, cooperation on data, local control and the guaranteed supplies and resources required.

“We also welcome the opportunity to engage logistics and capacity support from the Armed Forces, working alongside our own local authority staff and public health officials.

“These measures will be supported by a specific package of financial support to deliver this for our city region, covering a six-month period and not dependent upon the Tier position of our city region.

“In addition to this, we have secured an assurance from the Treasury that in coming to that national position, no local authorities placed on Tier Three restrictions will be put in a position where they are unable to balance their budget this year or to set a legal budget next year. Further discussions will take place as a priority over the coming week.

“However, we must be clear that we have not yet reached an agreement on the wider economic support package that we require.

“The national furlough scheme is inadequate and risks pushing tens of thousands of low paid workers below the national minimum wage, while the direct support to businesses is also less than that offered during the national lockdown.

“Yesterday, the Metro Mayor spoke with the Prime Minister and this morning attended COBR where he again reiterated these concerns in the strongest terms.

“We have been assured by government that they will continue to engage in meaningful talks with us on these matters in the coming days and we intend to hold them to that promise. In the meantime, we are looking at what economic support can be provided locally, while we await further national government support.”

Chris Fletcher, director of policy and communications at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “The news that Greater Manchester will be in Tier Two will come as some relief especially for those businesses that have spent most of the last week trying to operate under the threat of another enforced closure.

“However questions still persist around the continued lack of an adequate financial support package for those who cannot operate normally and, of course, for any business that may be affected should the present status be amended and GM ends up in Tier Three.

“The virus must be stopped and it’s crucial that full attention is given to the worrying numbers that show the North West is the epicentre of the latest outbreak.

“However stopping the virus cannot come at any price and ongoing damage being done to the economy and community cannot be sustained. The lack of contact with local leaders by Whitehall is simply staggering at a time when it is absolutely needed most.

“We may have dodged a bullet for now, but unless we bring the virus under control the very real danger is that we end up in Tier Three later. Without adequate support, funding, transparent planning and upfront, adequately timed communications by government, this would be a disaster for the local economy.”

Labour leader Kier Starmer responded to the PM’s announcement saying: “The question today is whether the restrictions announced by the prime minister can bring the country back from the brink.”

He added that it “increasingly feels like the PM is several steps behind the curve”.

Nottingham city’s COVID-19 infection rate has soared from around 12 people per 100,000 in early September to over 830 in the space of just over a month. Many of the city’s areas which are heavily populated by students have been particularly affected,

Earlier today, the University of Nottingham published new figures which revealed that over 1,500 students and 20 staff had tested positive for coronavirus. Nottingham Trent University has yet to publish its figures.

Meanwhile, it was announced today that three Nightingale hospitals, Manchester, Harrogate and Sunderland, are preparing to accept coronavirus patients following an increase in hospital admissions.

The Manchester Nightingale has capacity to treat more than 600 patients.

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