Suffolk to remain in Tier 2 until New Year as government announces tier review results
Residents in Suffolk will remain in Tier 2 for the rest of 2020, despite hopes that restrictions would be relaxed in time for Christmas.
Matt Hancock, the health secretary and MP for West Suffolk, today announced in the House of Commons that the county would continue in the middle tier - on high alert - for the next two weeks.
Rates of the virus have soared in Suffolk, and latest government data shows increases in all areas of the county.
Infections in West Suffolk have increased by 62 per cent, with the number of cases in Mid Suffolk up by 42 per cent, Babergh up by 21 per cent, and East Suffolk by almost 58 per cent. But these rates all remain below average.
In Ipswich, however, the data shows new infection rates are above average and new confirmed cases have climbed by almost 21 per cent.
And new infections across the country are climbing too, with the last seven days having seen the number of confirmed cases going up by more than 36 per cent. The seven day average death rate has also started to creep upwards.
Addressing the nation last night, Boris Johnson urged Brits to ‘exercise extreme caution’ over the Christmas holidays after doctors warned relaxed measures over the holidays would ‘without doubt cost lives’.
While the laws around the five-day Christmas bubbles will remain the same, he urged people to follow stricter guidelines where possible, which could see families in England meet outdoors, avoid staying away from home overnight and avoid travelling from areas with high case numbers to ones with lower infection rates.
“Having looked at the latest data - with our colleagues in the devolved administrations, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - we have decided that the overall situation is alas worse and more challenging than we had hoped when we first set the rules,” he said.
“So while it would not be right to criminalise people who have made plans and simply want to spend time with their loved ones, we are all collectively across the UK, governments at every level, asking you to think hard and in detail about the days ahead and whether you can do more to protect yourself and others.”
Anyone visiting family over Christmas is asked to isolate for five days beforehand and Mr Johnson also warned against crowding at Boxing Day sales and having New Year parties.
He said: “Have yourselves a merry little Christmas, and I’m afraid this year I do mean little.”
Yesterday it was revealed almost 130,000 people have been given the first dose of the coronavirus busing vaccine in the past week, as the biggest vaccination programme in British history gets underway.
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said there had been a ‘really good’ start.
Doses were injected into the arms of people at GP surgeries across Suffolk and the surrounding area, including in Ipswich, Woolpit and Soham.
But protection will not come until seven days after the second shot, meaning those who have had the vaccine will still need to be mindful of social distancing rules over Christmas.
The government wants to protect all vulnerable people by April, with 25 million people who are elderly, sick or working in the health service, and who account for a significant majority of deaths from the virus, in line for the jab.
Additional reporting by Dan Barker
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