Whole of North East in Tier 3 lockdown

The government has revealed the full list of local restriction tiers by area from 2 December 2020, with the whole of the North East in the strictest tier.

Calculated on five key epidemiological indicators, including case detection rates in all age groups, the rate at which cases are rising or falling, the positivity rate and pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy, the government says that fewer areas will be in the lowest-level of restrictions.

The council areas within both the Tees Valley Combined Authority and North East Combined Authority have been placed in Tier 3 (very High alert). This covers Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Cleveland, Darlington, Sunderland, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, County Durham and Northumberland.

Additionally, in the North West, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen will all face the toughest restrictions, although the Liverpool City Region, which was previously in the highest tier, has moved to Tier 2.

Tier 3 restrictions will also affect West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire, Birmingham, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

The strictest restrictions are less in the south, although Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Kent are in the Tier 3 band.

Only three areas are in Tier 1: the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.