October 5, 2020 12.54 pm This story is over 41 months old

New COVID-19 alert system leaked

Lincolnshire would still be on the lowest level
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The government is looking at a simplified three-tier lockdown system, leaked documents have revealed — but Lincolnshire health bosses have said the county will still be in the lowest bracket.

The document, seen by The Guardian, describes alert levels from one to three, with the former resulting in the strictest measures.

These would be applied in geographical areas as case numbers rose to levels that transmission could not be contained through local responses.

The levels would be as follows:

Level one:

  • Baseline (national) restrictions including the rule of six , face mask requirements, 10pm curfew on hospitality.

Level two:

  • No social contact in private homes or gardens outside bubbles
  • Visiting indoor hospitality, leisure or retail settings would be restricted to one household
  • Residents advised only to visit care homes in exceptional circumstances and only travel for essential reasons
  • Team sports only allowed if formally organised by a sports club or similar organisation
  • No spectator attendance at amateur or professional sporting events

Level three:

  • No social contact outside the household in any setting
  • Restrictions on overnight stays away from home
  • No organised non-professional sports permitted or other communal hobby groups such as social clubs in community centres
  • The closure of hospitality and leisure businesses

The hope is to reduce confusion caused by the multitude of regional restrictions in place around he country.

Health bosses in Lincolnshire expected a streamlining of rules last week.

Derek Ward, Lincolnshire County Council’s director of public health said on Friday: “ I think we’ll end up having three broad levels and we will be in the lowest level — there’s no question about that.

“We won’t between now and next week see any reduction in restrictions. We’ll only see increasing restrictions if numbers go up.”

Professor Ward predicted cases in Lincolnshire will continue to rise with the odd spike levelling off and followed by a gradual climb.

However, he said his ambition continued for Lincolnshire is “to have one of the lowest rates in this country.”

“We’re there at the moment, we do have some of the lowest rates in the country. If we carry on, we can come out and hold our heads high.”