This week the government announced the new tier system that will come into force on the 2nd of December. Derby and Derbyshire will be in Tier 3, Very High Alert.
The new restrictions coming into effect mean that you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with people who you do not live with or who are not in your support bubble, this includes private gardens.
It also restricts meeting a maximum of six people in outdoor public places including parks, beaches, public gardens, heritage sites and countryside accessible to the public.
Hospitality settings will unfortunately remain closed, this includes bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants, though takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through and delivery services will be able to continue. Accommodation including hotels, B&B’s, campsites, guest houses and caravan parks will also remain closed along with indoor entertainment venues such as casinos, bingo halls, bowling alleys, cinema and theatres.
Indoor attractions and outdoor entertainment venues will also remain closed though indoor shops will be open. Sports and leisure facilities will remain open but classes and group exercise will not be able to go ahead. Outdoor sports, physical activity and exercises classes can continue, however, higher-risk contact sport should not.
Places of worship will remain open and funerals and weddings will be able to go ahead, though it will be limited to 30 people for funerals and 15 for weddings.
During these difficult times you should avoid travel where possible to help stop the spread of the virus, this includes overnight stays.
Mrs Heather Wheeler, MP for South Derbyshire said
“I am disappointed that South Derbyshire has been placed in Tier 3 from December 2nd but as Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health, has just said at the Despatch Box in the House of Commons there are five areas of concern that lead to how areas are put into the Tier they are in.
Looking around at our neighbours, for instance Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, their figures are below ours but they are in Tier 3 too.
This decision is to be reviewed on December 16th so each of us must all do all we can to break the transmission, get our Covid figures down and the numbers in hospital down to give the NHS a chance and not be overwhelmed.
There are new rules now that do give us more freedoms, even in Tier 3. We can go to the hairdresser and to places of worship but we must all be mindful of being careful, maintain social distancing guidelines, wear our masks and continue to wash our hands thoroughly.
This is a worrying time but, with vaccines coming on stream, now is not the time to let our guard down. I am sure the residents of South Derbyshire will look after their families and their neighbours until we get through this.”
For further details on the new guidelines, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know#very-high-alert
