Covid: 'Highly likely' South Yorkshire to stay in tier 3

More than 1.4m people in South Yorkshire are living under tier three restrictions

It is "highly likely" South Yorkshire will remain in tier three over Christmas, the region's mayor has said.

Dan Jarvis said the region's NHS was under "massive pressure" with more than 600 people in hospital with the virus.

Four out of the five key indicators for moving out of the highest level of restrictions were too high, he added.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said decisions on tiers were made by ministers based on recommendations from several bodies.

"We are transparent about how decisions are made and have made the evidence which informs them available," he said.

"We understand for those facing higher level restrictions this is a particularly difficult time, but we are committed to supporting tier three areas with mass community testing and extra funding."

South Yorkshire has been subject to the harshest levels of restrictions since 24 October.

A final decision on which tier South Yorkshire will be in over Christmas will be announced by the government on 17 December.

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• What are South Yorkshire's tier 3 restrictions?

Mr Jarvis said: "Our NHS services remain under massive pressure. Over 600 people are currently in our region's hospitals with Covid, with more being admitted every single week."

Over the past week cases per 100,000 have fallen in Barnsley, Rotherham and Sheffield. However there has been an increase in Barnsley.

Covid cases per 100,00 for week ending 7 December

Barnsley - 130

Doncaster - 207.1

Rotherham - 187.6

Sheffield - 128.9

When the rules were first introduced Mr Jarvis said the government had "to be clear and transparent about the exit strategy".

He said that mayors and council leaders were not being consulted by the government in "any meaningful way" over the decision about which level of restrictions an area would be subject to.

Under tier three - England's "very high" level of alert - pubs and bars that do not serve substantial meals have to close, and there are further restrictions on households mixing.

Mr Jarvis said that, despite lockdown helping to reduce the number of infections in the region, four of the five indicators for dropping down to tier two - high alert, were "not falling quickly enough, or remain dangerously high."

They are:

• New infection rates in the over-60s

• The rate by which cases are rising or falling

• The percentage of those tested in local populations with Covid

• Pressures on the NHS (mainly measured by number of beds occupied)

• LOCKDOWN LOOK-UP: The rules in your area

• THREE TIERS: How will the system work?

• PAY-PACKET SUPPORT: What will I be paid under the new scheme?

• VACCINE: How close are we to finding one?

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