Leeds to go into Tier 3 lockdown, council announces

In a media briefing held at 6pm today, the council announced the move into Tier 3 from 0.01am on Monday.

The announcement comes amid a rapid rise in Covid admissions across Leeds hospitals.

There are more Covid patients currently in Leeds Hospitals than at the peak of the pandemic, it was reported earlier this week.The Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust said the pressure on beds has become "far greater than in the first wave".

The trust said they are "currently working very hard to ensure they treat as many patients as possible" - while ensuring they provide a safe hospital environment.

Covid patients are being treated separately to those who test negative, the trust said.

Supermarkets will remain open in Tier 3, with face coverings still compulsory for customers, unless exempt, in all supermarkets.

According to government guidelines, you must not socialise with anybody you do not live with or haven't formed a support bubble with, in any indoor setting or in any private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues and ticketed events.

You must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in an outdoor public space such as a park or beach, the countryside, a public garden or a sports venue.

Pubs and bars must close in Leeds; they can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant, which means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal.

They may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal, the government guidelines state.

Schools, colleges and universities are to remain open in the city.

Places of worship remain open, but household mixing is not permitted.

Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees.

However, wedding receptions are not allowed.

Exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors.

These will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with or share a support bubble with; there are exceptions for supervised activities for under-18s, and disability sport.

You should try to avoid travelling outside the very high alert level area you are in or entering a very high alert level area, other than for things like work, education or youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if you are travelling through as part of a longer journey

You should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK if you are resident in a very high alert level area, or avoid staying overnight in a very high alert level area if you are resident elsewhere.

At the moment the current Tier 2 and Tier 3 rules apply for Christmas, unless the government either relaxes the rules or ends the lockdown before Christmas Day.

Environment secretary George Eustice has warned people "may not be able to get together in the larger groups that they normally would".

However Eustice also added that it is too early to say exactly what the situation will be come Christmas and what people will or will not be able to do in different parts of the country.

Further, this week Professor John Edmunds, a member of the SAGE committee, said "radical action" would need to be taken to stop the rise in coronavirus cases.

He added that carrying on as we are and celebrating normally is “wishful thinking” in the extreme.

Unless Covid rates change, there is no sign that limits on household mixing will be lifted in time for Christmas.

Downing Street has confirmed that it expects university students will be allowed to return home for Christmas, with education secretary Gavin Williamson assuring students that the government will work with universities to ensure they are supported to spend Christmas safely with their loved ones.

But what do the changes mean for Leeds and how do they affect Leeds residents?

What's changed under Tier 3 rules?

- Tier 3 restrictions mean that pubs, bars, casinos and adult gaming centres must be immediately shut - on top of all the Tier 2 rules remaining in place.

- The exception is that restaurants, and pubs serving 'predominantly food' can remain open.

- Household mixing remains banned and mixing in private gardens is also banned as well

- Only some public spaces such as parks and beaches allow household mixing, and then the rule of six must still be followed

-> These are the exceptions to new Tier 2 and Tier 3 household mixing ban - Police are able to fine people breaking lockdown Tier 2 restrictions up to £10,000 for a large breach

- All the previous rules still apply. So there is a 10pm curfew, the rule of 6, face masks in shops, and social distancing still in effect.

- Household mixing remains banned and mixing in private gardens is also banned as well

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