Is London going into Tier 3?

14 December 2020, 15:28

When is London going into lockdown? And what are the London Covid rates? Here’s what we know…

As coronavirus cases continue to rise across many boroughs of London, the capital could be plunged into Tier 3 this week.

The city was put into Tier 2 earlier this month when the one-month national lockdown in England ended on December 2.

But will London be moved into the highest Tier? Here’s what we know…

Is London going into Tier 3?

London will be going into Tier 3 as on 0:01 on Wednesday December, 16.

Essex will also face the toughest restrictions, except for Tendering, as well as areas of Hertfordshire including Watford, Hertsmere and Broxbourne.

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According to a report published by Public Health England, the capital recorded 191.8 new cases per 100,000 in the week to December 6, which is a 20 per cent rise from the week before.

While the positive test rate across the UK is 5.9 per cent, Health Officials have warned it's more than 7 per cent in London.

The city now has the highest rate of cases among any region in England, with the worst affected areas including Walthamstow, Redbridge, Newham and Barking.

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This comes after Tory MPs said a city-wide Tier 3 measures would hurt “people across the nation” who depend on the “wealth and prosperity generated by our great city”.

The Mail on Sunday reported ministers, including Michael Gove, suggested that only the outer London boroughs with the highest infection rates should go into the top tier.

This means hospitality in London's West End would stay open, while those in outskirts would be forced to close.

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Meanwhile, Mayor Sadiq Khan has called for a compensation scheme to be put in place for businesses if any further restrictions are put on the city.

He warned that moving London from Tier 2 into Tier 3 would have a ‘catastrophic’ impact on businesses and put ‘hundreds of thousands of livelihoods at stake’.

In an open letter to the government, Mr Khan wrote: “Should the government decide to move London to further restrictions, current support is insufficient to keep many businesses and the self-employed afloat.

“The Christmas and new year period provides a huge part of annual takings for the hospitality, culture and events industries, and the period this year was likely to be the difference between businesses surviving the pandemic and failing.”

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