Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 30 December 2020

HINCKLEY and Bosworth will be heading into tighter tier restrictions tomorrow morning (31 December) at 12.01am as they move from Tier 3 into Tier 4 with the rest of Leicestershire and Leicester.

The announcement to move Leicester and Leicestershire into Tier 4 was made following a review of the tiers in the House of Commons from the Government by Matt Hancock.

Secretary of State’s statement

Speaking in The House of Commons this afternoon, The Secretary of State, Matt Hancock, said: “Yesterday alone 53,135 new [coronavirus] cases were registered.

“The majority of which are believed to be the new variant – unfortunately, the new variant is spreading across most of England and cases are doubling fast.

“It is therefore necessary to apply Tier 4 measures to a wider area, including the remaining parts of the South East, as well as large parts of the Midlands, the North West, the North East, and the South West”.

Hinckley’s nearby market town of Nuneaton will plunge into Tier 4 measures with the rest of Warwickshire, and the nearby city of Coventry.

The Secretary of State further explained that he believes it is ‘necessary to apply Tier 3 measures more broadly’, for those not going into Tier 4.

He added: “Even in most areas not moving into Tier 4, cases are rising too and it’s therefore necessary to apply Tier 3 measures more broadly too.”

Education Secretary Williamson comments

Gavin Williamson, Education Secretary, said: “We have already announced our intentions for a staggered return to education for this term for secondary-aged pupils and those in Colleges.

“Because the COVID-infection rate is particularly high among this age group, we’re going to allow more time so that every school and College is able to fully roll out testing for all of its pupils and staff.

“All pupils in exam-years are to return during the week beginning 11 January with all secondary school and College students returning full-time on 18 January.”

Bosworth MP comments

Dr. Luke Evans (CONS), Member of Parliament for Hinckley and Bosworth had taken to his official Twitter account to Tweet out about the new tier.

He said: “Whilst here in Hinckley & Bosworth our transmission rates remain below the national average, they are climbing and importantly our hospitals.

“Both Leicester Royal Infirmary and the George Eliot Hospital remain under significant pressure because numbers are increasing, but also because staff are falling ill. We are still being assessed on a borough-based model.

“I will continue to push for support for those areas and businesses that are closed and call for the speeding up of vaccine distribution.”

The announcement from the Government comes on the same day that a new coronavirus vaccine was approved this morning which will help tackle the rise of cases – the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

Tier 4 restrictions

Indoor leisure such as gymnasiums and leisure centres will close their doors.

Personal care facilities hair stylists, barbers, and nail salons have been ordered to close again.

Non-essential retailers will pull their shutters down whilst supermarkets and essential retailers will remain open.

Bars, pubs, and restaurants are closed for dine-in purposes but can still offer drive-through, takeaway, or collection services for their customers.

No inside household mixing is allowed, although, two members of different households are allowed to meet outside in an outdoor public place.

Accommodation like hotels will be ordered to close, however exceptions do apply, with these exceptions being listed on the Government’s official website.

Overnight stays away from home are not permitted, but just like accommodation and hotels, exceptions do apply.

Indoor entertainment venues such as Theatres, in-door arenas, and cinemas, remain closed.

Places of worship remain open for private prayer and communal worship, but users are unable to interact with those outside of their household or support bubble.

Those in Tier 4 are able leave home to exercise by themselves, or with someone else in their household and support bubble, or with one other member of another household – outdoor sports are allowed, but gathering limits apply, except for youth and disabled sport.

30 people are permitted at one time to attend a funeral – wakes and other linked ceremonial events may still go ahead in a group of up to six people. Weddings of up to six people can go ahead in ‘exceptional’ circumstances.

Everyone should work from home if they are able to, unless they are unable to do so.

Everyone must stay at home and only travel for work, education, or other legally permitted reasons – if travelling, stay local and reduce the number of journeys that are made.

You must not leave Tier 4 areas to stay overnight away from home in different tiers – those in Tiers 1 and 3 may not enter into Tier 4 either.

Travelling abroad from a Tier 4 area is not permitted unless an exemption applies.

Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable must stay at home as much as they can, except when they have to go outdoors to exercise and attend to health appointments.

Relatives in care homes may be visited by families, as long as COVID-secure arrangements are made with substantial screens, visiting pods, and window visits.