November 26, 2020 11.46 am This story is over 40 months old

Lincolnshire moving to tier 3 lockdown from December 2

Lockdown not really ending
| Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

All of Greater Lincolnshire, including North and North East Lincolnshire, will be put into the toughest COVID restrictions (tier 3) from December 2.

Newark will be in tier 3 along with the whole of Nottinghamshire, as well as all our neighbouring counties, except Cambridgeshire (tier 2).

Tier 3 means all shops can open but pubs and restaurants are only allowed to stay open for takeaway services, similarly to now.

Barbers and salons will be able to reopen but travelling outside of Lincolnshire is not advised, unless for work, care or education.

Entertainment venues such as cinemas and theatres won’t be able to reopen.

Schools, universities and places of worship will stay open, though may be subject to household bubbles.

Unlike the previous tier 3 rules, gyms will be able to open and people will be allowed to take part in outdoor sports such as golf, tennis and Sunday football.

The rule of six will apply outdoors but there will be no mixing of households.

Weddings and funerals, exercise classes and organised sport can all go ahead. Wedding receptions will not be allowed.

The government continues to request people aim to work from home if possible.

Tier 3 areas will also be eligible for the mass testing pilot which uses rapid or “lateral flow” coronavirus tests and gives results in about 20 minutes without the need for a lab.

NHS Test and Trace and the armed forces will support the local health leaders to deliver the programme.

Prior to today’s announcement Lincolnshire leaders had expressed concerns over a blanket ban on the region and on Wednesday voted to write to government calling for more localised restrictions and control.

There were 508 new coronavirus cases and 29 COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Wednesday.

The average infection rate for Lincolnshire is 289.5 per 100,000 people.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We’re approaching the end of a year where we’ve asked so much of the British people.

“And in response to this unprecedented threat to lives and to livelihoods, the British people have well and truly risen to the challenge by coming together to slow the spread and support each other.

“I know how difficult this has been, especially for those areas that have been in restrictions for so long.

“I’m so grateful for the resolve that people have shown throughout the crisis thanks to this shared sacrifice.

“We’ve been able to announce that we will not be renewing our national restrictions in England. Scientific and medical advice shows that we must make the tiers tougher than they were before, to protect the NHS through the winter.

“These decisions are not easy, but they are necessary.

“While all three tiers are less stringent than the national lockdown that we’re all living in now, to keep people safe, and to keep the gains that have been made more areas than before will be in the top two tiers. This is necessary to protect our NHS, and keep the virus on the control.”