IT is speculated that on Monday 12 October, Boris Johnson will announce lockdown restrictions are set to become stricter in the North East of England.
THE Prime minister is set to impose tighter lockdown restrictions, after current restrictions fail to control the virus. These new restrictions could include the closure of pubs, and restaurants in the worst effected areas of the region.
Boris Johnson is expected to announce these new restrictions on Monday 12 October according to the BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, however the time of this announcement is yet to be announced.
Downing street and the department of health and social care have declined to comment on the repots of the closure of hospitality, according to The Sunderland Echo newspaper.
A 3-tier local lockdown system?
It is reported that Johnson could introduce a 3-tier local lockdown system. Which will be rated on the amount of cases per 100,000. This means many parts of the country will have a different system in place to curb the spread of the virus.
Areas in tier 1 will have fewer than 100 positive cases for every 100,000 people. This will mean that they will only have to follow current government restrictions i.e. ‘the rule of six’ and social distancing measures.
Areas in tier 2 will have more than 100 positive cases per 100,000 people. This will mean more stringent measures will be in place, I.e. the measures that are in place for most of Northern England. This includes bans on household meetings.
Areas in tier 3 will include areas with significantly higher cases than elsewhere. The restrictions could possibly include a full lockdown, like those seen in March-July. This could see pubs, cafes and restaurants forced to close.
What will happen to pubs and restaurants?
The prime minister is expected to order stricter lockdown measures across Northern England. The worst effected areas could see pubs and restaurants close down.
The cities likely to be affected are: Newcastle, Manchester and Liverpool. These areas will most likely see hospitality venues close, after infection rates have continued to soar in these cities.
It has not been confirmed how long these measures could last, or the extent of these measures.
Communities secretary Robert Jenrick told BBC breakfast on Thursday 8 October that ministers are “currently considering” what steps need to be taken, he warned of a “fast and serious situation in the north.
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