Rochdale borough placed into Tier 3 restrictions

The Rochdale borough will be placed into Tier 3 restrictions after the current national lockdown ends on Wednesday 2 December, the government has announced today (Thursday 26 November).

Whitworth, which is in neighbouring borough Rossendale, is also subject to Tier 3 restrictions.

The government has published a postcode search tool today (26 November) which we used to find out the restrictions for the Rochdale borough, including Heywood, Middleton and Littleborough and Whitworth.

This means from 2 December:

• No mixing of households indoors or most outdoor places, apart from support bubbles
• The rule of six applies to some outdoor public places such as parks
• Pubs and restaurants must remain closed, except for delivery and takeaway
• Indoor entertainment venues will remain closed, such as cinemas, casinos and bowling alleys
• Accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must remain closed.
• Avoid travelling in/out of the area except where necessary (eg: work, education, medical attention, youth services or caring responsibilities)
• No overnight stays outside of local area unless necessary (eg: work, education or similar)
• Spectator sports cannot resume
• Wedding receptions are not permitted

Regardless of tier, the following will apply on 2 December when the national lockdown ends:

• The stay at home requirement will end, with travel being permitted again subject to guidance in each tier
• Shops will reopen - essential and non-essential retailers, including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales
• Gyms, leisure centres, fitness and dance studios, golf courses, swimming pools, riding centres, outdoor playgrounds will all reopen (no organised indoor sport or exercise classes under tier 3)
• Personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services, massage parlours and tanning salons can reopen
• Collective worship can resume, subject to relevant social contact rules in each tier
• Weddings can resume with 15 guests (receptions are not allowed under tier 3)
• Outdoor sports can resume
• People will not be limited to seeing one other person in outdoor public spaces
• The rule of six will apply outdoors
• Everyone who can work from home should
• Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities remain open
• Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children and childcare bubbles permitted

The whole of Greater Manchester has been placed into Tier 3 and in a statement the government said: "While there has been continued improvement in Greater Manchester, weekly case rates remain very high, especially amongst those aged over 60, at around 260 per 100,000 people. The pressure on the local NHS is decreasing in some areas but remains a concern; Manchester University hospital and Pennine Acute Trust remain under significant pressure."
 

Read more: Tier 3 looking likely for region but should be reviewed at first opportunity, says BurnhamPublished: 25 November 2020

Tiering allocations will be reviewed every 14 days - the first review is scheduled for 16 December - and tiering regulations will expire in law at the end of March. There will be no negotiations on additional measures in each region.

You can check the local restrictions in different areas by the postcode search tool on the government web site:

• www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-local-restrictions

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Christmas

The coronavirus restrictions will be eased at Christmas in all tiers to allow people to mix with a slightly wider circle of family and friends. Up to three households may form a ‘Christmas bubble’ from 23-27 December.

The bubbles will be fixed, so you will not be able to mix with two households on Christmas Day and two different ones on Boxing Day.

You will also be able to travel between tiers and across the whole of the UK without restriction within the five-day period, for the purposes of meeting with your bubble.
 

Read more: Friends and loved ones can get together over the Christmas periodPublished: 25 November 2020

 

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Testing

Following the example of Liverpool, tier 3 areas will be able to participate in a six-week community testing programme to identify asymptomatic cases, and ensure they self-isolate.

The government also plans to introduce frequent testing as an alternative to the need for self-isolation for people who have had close contact with a positive case.

Instead, contacts would have regular tests during the isolation period and only have to self-isolate if they test positive.

This will be trialled in Liverpool first then, if successful, will be rolled out across the NHS and care homes in December, and to everyone else from early next year.