As the Government review the current COVID tier system, the good people of KEnt are waiting to see if they will remain in Tier 3.
The Government are expected to reveal the results at lunchtime today (17th December) and the prediction is that Kent will remain a Tier 3 county. London is expected to go into Tier 3 also, so it would seem unlikely that Kent would drop to Tier 2.
Infact, NHS experts have advised the Prime Minister not do drop any current Tier 3 areas to Tier 2.
Although infection rates have dropped slightly in some areas, six districts in Kent now have coronavirus infection rates above 500 – meaning more than one in every 200 residents have returned a positive test in the last week.
The situation continues to worsen for Swale and Medway, who are still ranked worst in the country but now with hundreds more new cases compared to the week before. Dover (5th), Ashford (7th), which recorded the second biggest weekly rise in the country, and Maidstone (8th) also rank among the worst 10 of England’s 315 areas.
pre-isolate from today, don’t see elderly relatives and avoid boxing day sales
Not only that, but the new Tier will only be in place for four days, until they’re replaced by the Christmas bubbles plan on 23rd December. The Tier system will then return on December 28 when the five-day festive bubble period comes to an end.
Earlier in the week, Boris Johnson ruled out any changes to the law over the five-day ‘bubble’ period between 23rd to 27th December. But there is now a breakdown in plans across the UK, after the Welsh and Scottish governments issued tougher guidelines to its residents. Those who want a safer Christmas will either stay indoors alone or will have to travel to Wales or Scotland for their festivities!
It would take a very brave, or stupid Government to take Kent out of Tier 3 this week.
