Atherstone to remain in tier three following latest government announcement

Following the announcement by Health Secretary Matt Hancock today (Thursday) Atherstone and the rest of Warwickshire will remain in tier three of the three-tiered restrictions for dealing with Covid-19.

Atherstone and the county had emerged from the second national lockdown in tier three – 'Very High Risk' - after the previous announcement on November 26, despite the region being in Tier One - 'Medium' risk – beforehand.

Infection rates in the North Warwickshire district had been slowly declining, although they did see a slight increase to 124.11 per 100,000 people from 117.98 at the beginning of December.

Atherstone and the rest of the district have been amalgamated with the rest of Warwickshire as well as Coventry and Solihull, the latter two having been in local lockdown before the second national lockdown was announced.

Criticism over Atherstone's tier allocation has been wide ranging, with MP for North Warwickshire Craig Tracey voting against the UK Government over the issue.

Mr Tracey said "The introduction of a model that links us with Solihull is baffling, particularly when we have no obvious links with them on either a regional NHS basis or local authority basis."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said following the initial announcement of tiers at the end of November "robust evidence" of continued decline of infection rates in a region must be shown before an area would be moved down a tier.

As Atherstone remains in tier three the following rules will continue to be in place:

• Households will not be allowed to mix indoors or outdoors in private gardens or hospitality venues.
• The 'Rule of Six' will apply outdoors in public spaces.
• Pubs and restaurants will be closed except for takeaway and delivery.
• Indoor entertainment venues will be closed, only drive-in events allowed.
• Guidance against travelling outside the area
• Schools will remain open.
• Weddings and Civil Ceremonies allowed 15 guests, but receptions not allowed.
• Up to 30 people allowed at funerals.
• Outdoor sport can recommence; indoor sport is only permissible with members of one household.

The new rules and the tiers will continue to be assessed every two weeks, the next coming in the final week of December.

Mr Johnson has also promised MPs that the current regulations will have a "sunset of 3 February."

However, that have been pervasive fears that the relaxed rules over Christmas would lead to a spike in infections in early January.

Mr Hancock told Parliament that there are 18,038 people in hospital with coronavirus across the UK and it he said it had to be borne in mind the winter months were always the most difficult for people's health.

Therefore, the government is exercising caution over tier movement and only two areas are being moved down a tier as a result of falling infection rates; Bristol and North Somerset will move into tier two and Herefordshire will move from tier two to tier one.

But several areas, including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire have been placed into tier three, which means a total of 38 million people in England will be living under the highest Covid-19 restrictions from this Saturday.

"We've come so far, we mustn't blow it now," said the Health Secretary.