Black Country and Staffordshire told to stay at home as region enters Tier 4
Residents of the Black Country and Staffordshire have been told to stay at home as the region moved into the toughest Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions.
Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, Staffordshire and Birmingham have all moved from Tier 3 to Tier 4 from today while nearby Worcestershire, Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3.
More than three-quarters of the country’s population are now being ordered to stay at home as the virus continues to spread and hospitals struggle with high numbers of Covid-19 patients.
Tier 4 restrictions include a warning to stay at home, a limit on household mixing to two people outdoors and the closure of non-essential shops, hairdressers, cinemas and gyms.
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The measures come on top of existing Tier 3 restrictions such as the closure of pubs and restaurants except for takeaways and deliveries.
People are also limited to meeting one other person from another household in an outdoor public space, and must not leave their Tier 4 area except for legally permitted reasons such as medical appointments.
A total of 44 million people, or 78 per cent of the population of England, are now under Tier 4 with this week's changes putting another 22 million people under lockdown measures across the Midlands, North East, North West and South West.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK must redouble its efforts to fight coronavirus, and that “no-one regrets these measures more bitterly than I do” but insisted that “firm” action is needed to control the pandemic.
Another 981 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, the highest daily figure reported since April 24, though there is likely to be a lag in reporting deaths over the Christmas period.
Of these, 39 were in hospitals across the Black Country, Birmingham and Staffordshire.
According to the Department of Health, between December 18 and 24 the weekly Covid-19 case rate in England rose to 402.6 per 100,000, a 32 per cent increase on the previous week.
Some 14,915 patients have been admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in the past week - an 18 per cent increase on the week before.
People were warned they must ring in the New Year by staying at home and not mixing, with NHS England’s national medical director, Professor Stephen Powis, saying: “Covid loves a crowd.”
Trusts continue to face pressure, with Covid patient numbers in England having surpassed the April first-wave peak.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the military is standing by to staff Nightingale hospitals if the NHS exceeds its capacity of critical care beds.
Meanwhile the reopening of secondary schools in England is being delayed until later in January, and in some of the areas hardest hit by Covid-19, primary school pupils will also not return to their desks as planned next week.
Universities are being asked to reduce the number of students returning to campus from the beginning of next month, and those who do return should be offered two rapid coronavirus tests.
'Cannot fall at final hurdle'
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said that while news of the move to Tier 4 was “desperately disappointing," there was “light at the end of the tunnel” with the vaccine roll-out.
The Conservative mayor said: “Over the last few weeks the rate of infection has been climbing in the West Midlands, with our average rate rising from 188 per 100,000 to more than 300 in the space of three weeks.
“We have not had a major spike as seen in London and the South East, but what we are experiencing is a sustained day-on-day increase that the existing Tier 3 restrictions are proving unable to halt.
“Whilst it is very frustrating to be facing yet more restrictions, we cannot escape the fact that this deadly virus is once again spreading to more people across the West Midlands.
“Far too many in this region have already lost loved ones to Covid-19, and unless further action is taken many more will see their lives cut short by this awful virus.
“We must not forget that even though today’s news is desperately disappointing, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“With the first vaccine being rolled out at speed across the region, combined with the brilliant news of the Oxford vaccine getting approval, there is a clear way out.
“But that will only be possible if people follow the rules and help drive the rate of infection down now.
“With the end in sight, we absolutely cannot afford to fall at the final hurdle.”
Alan White, Staffordshire County Council’s leader, added: “It remains a big ask but we must do everything we can to make this happen as quickly as possible.”
Pressure had been mounting on ministers to expand Tier 4 restrictions in the face of increasing strain on hospitals in England where the number of patients has surpassed the April peak of the first wave.
Some 14,915 patients have been admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in the past week, an 18 per cent increase on the week before.
With 22,713 Covid-19 patients in hospitals in England as of 8am on Wednesday – higher than the first-wave peak – NHS Providers said pressure on hospitals is “intensifying”.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs County Hospital in Stafford and Royal Stoke University Hospital, was treating 326 patients on December 22, compared to 160 at the peak of the first wave on April 24. It said it was having to “think differently” and change the way it works in order to cope.
Other hospitals are showing a similar trend. A total of 849 Covid patients are filling beds across our region, according to figures from December 22. That compares to just 19 back on August 22.
