Tier 4 Announcement
The Government has decided that the whole of Nottinghamshire will move to Tier 4 restrictions. This means that anyone living anywhere in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire is subject to the new rules in place.
From 31 December you cannot leave or be outside of the place you are living unless you have a reasonable excuse. The Government has provided guidance on when it is reasonable to leave the place where you are living.
You cannot meet other people indoors, including over the New Year period, unless you live with them, or they are part of your support bubble. Outdoors, you can only meet one person from another household. Another example of when you can leave home is to buy things at shops or obtain services from a business which is permitted to open in your Tier 4 area. Parents can still take their children to school, and people can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where they live apart. This includes childcare bubbles.
Dawn Jenkin, Public Health Consultant at Nottinghamshire County Council said:
“Remember that the Christmas Bubble arrangements only applied on Christmas Day so you must only spend New Year at home with your own household or bubble. The rates of infection in our communities across the county are continuing to grow at a concerning rate. The impact this is having on our hospitals and the rate of infection in those aged over 60 are some of the key factors which determine how the government decides what tier to place each area into.
“We appreciate how hard the new restrictions will be for many but what is important now is that we all observe the new regulations in place, understand what they mean and explain the rules to those around us.
“Whilst it is really positive news that the vaccine is starting to roll out across the county it will be a while before it has the desired impact on infection rates, so now is not the time to let our guard down. Remember that around 1 in 3 people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading it without realising it. So, the very best thing you can do now to help us overcome the virus is to continue to follow the rules of Hands, Face, Space.
“Make your New Year’s Resolution to protect yourself, your family and your friends by sticking to these simple rules. In addition, if you develop any symptoms, it remains critically important that you self-isolate and get a test as soon as possible. It is these actions by each of us that will stop the spread of the virus in our communities.”
Councillor Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council said:
“I worry what impact this news will have on those who live alone. The Council are in regular touch with many vulnerable residents in the Ashfield District. We will continue to work with foodbanks to ensure that nobody goes hungry through this latest setback. We continue to worry about the impact these continued lockdown measures will have on resident’s mental health. This is being made worse by the forced closure of gyms and swimming pools. These are extremely worrying times but as a Council, the Ashfield District and its councillors will continue to look after the those who need us most including our elderly and vulnerable – just as we have done throughout the pandemic.
“I would ask residents to follow these rules – together – we can beat this!”
For further information about the new restrictions in place please visit: Tier 4: Stay at Home - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
