I'd be daft to guess which Covid tier we will be in, admits Northamptonshire health chief

PM's big reveal over what restrictions will follow county's lockdown is set for Thursday
Boris Johnson delivered last night's press conference via video link while he is self-isolating. Photo: Getty ImagesBoris Johnson delivered last night's press conference via video link while he is self-isolating. Photo: Getty Images
Boris Johnson delivered last night's press conference via video link while he is self-isolating. Photo: Getty Images

Northamptonshire's health chief says it would "daft" to guess which tier of Covid-19 restrictions the county will be in on Thursday.

Boris Johnson will reveal more details of a tougher three-tier system to replace the national lockdown on Thursday. But he warned: "many more regions will fall — at least temporarily — into higher tiers than before."

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Northamptonshire was in the lowest tier of restrictions before the 28-day national lockdown was announced on November 2 but cases have continued to rise faster in the county than the national average.

Public Health director Lucy Wightman admitted two weeks ago that the county would be in Tier Two under the old system.

But today she confessed: "It would be daft of me to try to guess where we will be on Thursday.

"This is going to be based on a number of measurements locally, but also our position compared to other areas.

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"We headed into the national lockdown travelling in the wrong direction from a point of view of cases, particularly among the over-60s. We have a lot more ground to make up on areas that had higher restrictions before the lockdown and therefore I would not like to guess."

How Covid-19 cases among the county's over-60s and the number of patients in hospital are rising. Source: Public Health NorthamptonshireHow Covid-19 cases among the county's over-60s and the number of patients in hospital are rising. Source: Public Health Northamptonshire
How Covid-19 cases among the county's over-60s and the number of patients in hospital are rising. Source: Public Health Northamptonshire

Under the Covid Winter Plan — which will replace the national lockdown next week — Tier One areas would see the 'rule of six' applied indoors and outdoors.

Households mixing indoors would be banned in Tier Two areas.

Tier One pubs and restaurants will be table-service only while hospitality venues in Tier Two will be allowed to open only if serving substantial meals.

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Shops, gyms, places of worship, hairdressers, beauty salons and the wider leisure sector will be able to reopen, while outdoor sports can resume with up to 4,000 spectators allowed inside venues.

County Public Health Director Lucy WightmanCounty Public Health Director Lucy Wightman
County Public Health Director Lucy Wightman

Tier positions will be reviewed every 14 days and will be based on five criteria: Case numbers across all age groups, cases among the over-60s, if the rate of infections is rising or falling, the percentage of those tested who have the virus, and pressure on the NHS locally.

The number of Covid-19 cases in the over-60s age group rose by nearly a third according to the most recent set of official figures from Public Health Northamptonshire.

And the number of Covid-positive patients being treated in Northamptonshire hospitals reached 133 by last Thursday.