West Berkshire Council: COVID: West Berkshire to move into Tier 3 as cases continue to rise

Following the national lockdown in November, the Government has placed each region in one of three tiers – medium, high or very high. The tiers are based on the prevalence of coronavirus in a region, and introduce varying degrees of restrictions to help combat the virus.

The announcement means the five Berkshire councils which were previously in Tier 2 will join Slough in Tier 3, with the whole county under the same rules. The move to Tier 3 means that from Saturday:

• You cannot meet anyone who is not in your household (or support bubble) indoors.
• You can only see family and friends you do not live with in some specified outdoor places, in groups of up to six people. These places are parks, playgrounds and public gardens, outdoor sports courts, allotments, beaches, the grounds of heritage sites, in forests and in countryside which is accessible to the public. You cannot meet in private gardens and other outdoor venues.
• You should avoid travelling outside your area and reduce the number of journeys you make, if possible.
• Bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants must close, with the exception of sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery.
• Accommodation will close – including hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfast.

More generally, this is what you can and cannot do in Tier 3 (Very High):

• You cannot meet anyone who is not in your household (or support bubble) indoors.
• You may only meet someone who is not in your household or support bubble if it is outside in a specified place (as outlined above).
• You should work from home if possible.
• You should avoid travelling outside your area, other than where necessary (such as for work or education).
• You should reduce the number of journeys where possible and avoid car sharing with anyone who is not in your household or support bubble.
• Bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants must close, with the exception of sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery.
• Shops, gyms and personal care services (such as hairdressers) can stay open.
• Schools, colleges, university and early years settings can open.
• Entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and indoor play centres must close
• Leisure centres can stay open but group activities and classes should not take place.

Detailed information about restrictions at the medium, high and very high tiers can be found online.

You can also stay up-to-date on restrictions where you live using the gov.uk postcode finder.

As well as the specific restrictions outlined above, residents should continue to follow the “hands, face, space” advice to help reduce the transmission of coronavirus. When meeting people you do not live with, it is important to do so outdoors where possible, or to make sure that any indoor venue has good ventilation (for example by opening windows so that fresh air can enter).

Tiers will be reviewed every two weeks with regions moving to more or less severe restrictions, or staying as they are, depending on factors such as transmission rates and how local services are coping.

The number of confirmed Covid cases has increased significantly in the past week. On 5th December the seven-day weekly rate of Covid cases in West Berkshire was 58.7 cases per 100,000 people but it has since risen to 158.4 cases as of the 11th December. It’s an increase of 172% which is among the largest across the South East and shows how quickly things can change. Hospital admissions have also increased by around a third across the region which is also likely to have played a part in the decision to place Berkshire in Tier 3.