Covid: 'Worrying uptick' in cases puts Liverpool City Region in tier 3

Liverpool City Region had been in tier two since early December

Moving to tier three was "something none of us wanted" but was necessary amid a "worrying uptick" in Covid-19 cases, the mayor of Liverpool City Region has said.

All of Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton and St Helens will move to the higher level of restrictions from midnight.

Neighbouring Cheshire and Warrington join the areas moving to tier four.

Steve Rotheram said people were "fatigued" but "will get through this."

Under tier three, households cannot mix indoors apart from support bubbles and a maximum of six can meet in parks and public gardens.

Food venues are restricted to takeaway and drive-through only but shops, leisure centres and hairdressers remain open.

'Facing tough weeks'

Liverpool made headlines when it was chosen to pilot mass testing in early November after soaring cases in October saw the city among the highest coronavirus death rates.

The 30-minute lateral flow tests picked up 1,300 infections in people without symptoms in a population of about half a million.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock later declared the decline in cases "remarkable", but cases have since begun to rise again.

Wirral currently has the highest case rate of all the city region's authorities, with 220 cases per 100,000 people.

Council leader Jan Williamson said ramping up restrictions was "not unexpected and the right response given our increasing numbers".

She added that people must "heed the restrictions", especially over New Year's Eve.

"I strongly urge that if you are planning any celebrations tomorrow night, do it safely and in accordance with the restrictions, which means no mixing of households."

Data from 24 December shows Halton had 209.4 cases per 100,000, with Liverpool and Knowsley close behind at 208.2 and 205.3 respectively.

Sefton had the lowest rate of 189.5 while St Helens' was at 198.8.

• What are the lockdown and tier four rules?

• New coronavirus variant: What do we know?

The region has been in tier two since 2 December.

Mr Rotheram said: "Being placed into tier three is something that none of us wanted, but I hope that these new measures help to slow down and contain the spread of the virus quickly."

"We are once again facing tough weeks, perhaps even months, but together I know we will get through this."

Some hospitality venues that had prepared for a busy New Year's Eve tweeted their disappointment.

Buyers Club bar and restaurant in Liverpool apologised to those who had booked and tweeted their lack of surprise, saying: "So here we go again."

Bosses at another of the city's bars, Berry and Rye, which is currently closed, said the timing of the announcement showed "a quite outstanding lack of consideration for business".

Mr Rotheram reiterated calls for the government to "step-up" and offer more financial support.

The change also means sports fans will once again be barred from matches, with Everton's home against West Ham on Friday night the first to be affected.

The club tweeted: "We won't be able to welcome fans to Goodison until further notice, including Friday's game with West Ham."

• LOCKDOWN LOOK-UP: The rules in your area

• SOCIAL DISTANCING: What are the rules now?

• SUPPORT BUBBLES: What are they and who can be in yours?

• FACE MASKS: When do I need to wear one?

• TESTING: How do I get a virus test?