Northamptonshire is placed in Tier 2 of the three tier COVID-19 alert system
The decision is based on the latest available data and is in line with the measures set out in the COVID-19 Winter Plan published on Monday (23 November).
As announced earlier this week, the tiers have been toughened and many more areas have been placed into the higher tiers in order to safeguard the gains made during the period of national restrictions.
Tier 2 is for areas with a higher or rapidly rising level of infections, where some additional restrictions need to be in place.
Under the Tier 2 restrictions:
- You cannot mix with another household indoors
- You can meet up to six people from another household outdoors
- Overnight stays are permitted only with your household or support bubble
- Walk and cycle wherever possible and avoid travelling to Tier 3 areas
- You must work from home if you can
- Pubs must close unless operating as restaurants
"Sadly, despite the hard work and sacrifice made by people across the country, the significant increase in cases immediately prior to lockdown means we will be exiting next week into a higher tier of restrictions.
"Our position remains precarious and so we must now all remember that although the lockdown restrictions may start to ease regarding certain activities, but just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should. We must not be COVID-complacent and it is paramount that we continue to take measure to ensure that ourselves and our loved ones are protected from the virus."Lucy Wightman, Director of Public Health Northamptonshire
The first review point for the current tier allocations will take place on Wednesday 16 December.
Decisions on tiers are made by ministers based on public health recommendations informed by the following factors:
- case detection rate (in all age groups and, in particular, among the over 60s)
- how quickly case rates are rising or falling
- positivity in the general population
- pressure on the NHS – including current and projected (3 to 4 weeks out) NHS capacity – including admissions, general/acute/ICU bed occupancy, staff absences local context and exceptional circumstances such as a local but contained outbreak
- If these indicators are not improving, an area may be moved up a tier and if the trajectory improves, the area may move to a lower tier. A ‘watchlist’ will be published every Thursday detailing the latest data at a regional level, providing the rationale and data behind these decisions.
