What the government’s new COVID-19 tier system means for Derby

Published: 13 October 2020

Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched a new three-tier system of COVID-19 restrictions to replace all current local and national lockdown regulations.

It is hoped that the new system will help to slow the rise in COVID-19 cases in hotspots across the country, rather than imposing a national scale lockdown.

Derby is currently under tier 1 restrictions, which all areas in England are placed in unless further measures are necessary and specified otherwise. This means that all national restrictions which are currently in place will remain the same for Derby:

• All businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-19 secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law, such as nightclubs
• Certain businesses selling food or drink on their premises are required to close between 10.00pm and 5.00am
• Schools, universities and places of worship remain open
• Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees
• Organised indoor sport and exercise classes can continue to take place, provided the rule of six is followed
• People must not meet in groups larger than six, indoors or outdoors

Some nearby areas, including some parts of northern Derbyshire and our neighbouring city of Nottingham, have been placed under tier 2 restrictions. This means that household mixing is banned inside, but two households may meet in a private garden as long as the rule of six and social distancing is followed.

Under the strictest restrictions, tier 3, no mixing between households is allowed inside or outside and pubs, gyms and some other businesses are required to close. The Liverpool City region is the only area in the country currently categorised as tier 3.

If cases continue to rise in Derby, it is likely that the city will be moved up to tier 2 to reduce further transmission.

All restrictions are being consistently monitored and evaluated by the government, Public Health England and local councils to ensure they are still necessary and appropriate for the area.

You can find out the COVID alert level for other areas by searching via postcode on the government website.

Dr Robyn Dewis, Director of Public Health for Derby City Council, said:

Current guidance and restrictions remain the same for our city, and we are glad to see that our businesses can stay open and that we can continue to see family and loved ones, while adhering to the rule of six. We should, however, all avoid mixing with households in tier two or three areas and remember the ever-important guidance of keeping our distance and washing our hands. By doing the right thing for Derby we can help to slow the rate of transmission and hopefully reduce the possibility of harsher lockdown restrictions being imposed in the area.

You can read more details about the system and what each tier entails on the government website.

Community, Health, Public safety