Great Western Coffee Shop

From The BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55078888)


Let's see who's in which (I will update this thread) and see what the situation is about travelling between and through areas in different tiers, and for residents in one tier making use of facilities in another.

Cornwall would expect to go into tier 1, but over a 100 positives in one factory has probably bumped up their figures.

There was comment from Matt Hancock that it would not be based purely on raw figures - the example of a hotspot in a barracks in an otherwise pretty clear area was mentioned.  That flexibility appears sensible, but at the same time leaves the door open to political adjustment of areas between the tiers.

The capacity of the local NHS to cope is also a factor taken into account.

We should also be aware how quickly things can change in any given area. There is a website that gives daily updates on cases and deaths down to lower tier LA areas that I have been keeping an eye on and extracting daily figures for some weeks:

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/cases

For example, whilst the case rate per 100,000 people in Cornwall was low yesterday at 62.4, on 27th October it was 45.5. In Wiltshire it was 84.4 on 27th October and 127.2 yesterday. The figures for Plymouth on the same days were 140.8 and 138.9 so it has gone down slightly there.

All this should be seen in the light of the figure for the first local lockdown we had in the summer, in Leicester, that was imposed when theirs hit 125, and Swindon was put on a ?special attention? list when their figure got to 50.

I don?t think any of us should be complacent or blithely assume that our own area has a low figure and therefore the risk is negligible. In this matter ?low? is a highly subjective term whilst ?high? (yesterday?s figure for Swale and Hull were 547.1 and 530.4 respectively) most definitely isn?t.

Very good point, and worth remembering especially in the context of Cornwall, which has a grand total of one large hospital.

I totally agree with you, Robin. Only yesterday I reported the passing of a well known figure in rail campaigning. We knew him well in these parts, and he lived in Trowbridge. His wife and son also caught the infection, though both are recovering. It is far, far closer ...

The other issue that perhaps some overlook as they think forward is just how quickly this spreads; seasonal flu may in certain weeks cause the same number of deaths as coronavirus - but under normal controls the flu will fade out where coronavirus without similar controls rapidly gets out of hand.   "I don't need to wear a mask / distance / etc because the numbers are the same as flu and I don't take the extra precautions against that" is a totally incorrect argument.

I don't expect whatever tier we're in to effect us much personally; plans are to pretty much stick to our bubble of two people and a dog (does a twobubble get shortened to a twubble or trouble?) - occasional shopping for essentials (no, I am not stockpiling - I am shopping less often for more!), exercise, and I will talk to people at a distance in the open.  If not in tier three I would be happy to make an occasional journey on a quiet public transport service - though what I would do at the other end is an interesting question.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2020-11-26/hcws608

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire - tier 3
Slough - tier 3

Cornwall, Isle of Wight, Scillies - tier 1

Everywhere else in the GWR served area in England (including London) - tier 2

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tier one: the rule of six applies everywhere, indoors and out
tier two: the rule of six applies outdoors but there is no household mixing anywhere indoors
tier three: can only meet other households in outdoor public spaces like parks, where the rule of six applies

In tier 1, the Government will reinforce the importance that, where people can work from home, they should do so.
In tier 2, hospitality settings that serve alcohol must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals.
In tier 3, hospitality will close except for delivery, drive-through and takeaway, hotels and other accommodation providers must close (except for specific exemptions, such as people staying for work purposes, where people are attending a funeral, or where they cannot return home) and indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bowling allies must also close. Elite sport will be played without spectators. Organised outdoor sport can resume, but the Government will advise against higher risk contact sports.

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These allocations between tiers to be reviwed every 14 days - so December 16th is the first review.