Only Liverpool will be allocated Tier 3 status - The Times

[RedComb]

The Times has generally been quite accurate in its reporting over the past months. Today it says that Greater Manchester and Lancashire will not be designated Tier 3 status. I really think this is a mistake.

I have far more trust for Andy Burnham than I do for Boris. I trust Andy has peoples health as well as the economy in mind when making these decisions. I'm really glad he is our mayor.

@GrumpySausage

My understanding was that tier 3 was only to be used if the restrictions in place for tier 2 had not worked. As Liverpool has already had tier 2 restrictions for some time (though not called tier 2), and cases still haven't decreased, it now warranted a tier 3 level. Nottingham hasn't been subject to tier 2 restrictions yet but if cases don't decrease as hoped once in place, then tier 3 is introduced.

Clearly the local lockdown in GM has not worked. Quite the opposite. People aren’t following the guidelines and cases are rising ever higher.

Clearly the local lockdown in GM has not worked. Quite the opposite. People aren’t following the guidelines and cases are rising ever higher.

So why continue with something that isn't working? I'm really glad we have Andy Burnham representing us, it's nice to have a little bit of influence in Westminster and I trust him far more than boris. More power to Andy!

TBf, I do think the situation in Liverpool is more critical and also aggrevated by geographical issues (it hasn't got a Nightingale either so if there is pressure on the hospitals its harder to be as responsive as quickly due to logistics).

No tier 3 for the NE and Greater Manchester appears to have now been confirmed by the Guardian and the huff post in the last few minutes.

There's no point in arguing over whether lockdown has worked or not if you don't bother to ask WHY it hasn't worked.

People aren’t following the guidelines and cases are rising ever higher.
Where is your proof that people aren't following the guidelines? I suspect the people of Manchester, Liverpool, and other Northern cities have been following the guidelines just as much - or little - as other parts of the UK.

^I'm in Greater Manchester and welcome everything Andy Burnham is doing to stick up for our local area. I agree with @ChaChaCha2012
all local mayors should have this voice.^

Same. There are arguments that he should do more, which I respect, but he's spot on in the need to put our case and call out the way the government has been so willing to throw us to the wolves.

Brilliant. I hope this is true. I would rather have Andy making decisions for us than Boris.

This is the latest I could find on Lancashire

100% agree Andy Burnham has fair better idea of what will work for Mancunians. Allowing people to socialise where we can see them and it can be as ‘covid safe’ as possible instead of closing everything and forcing things into private homes. People don’t trust Boris- they trust AB and are far more likely than follow rules that they feel are fair and in their best interests. GM numbers are driven hugely by students who are generally asymptomatic. Livelihoods and businesses are vital in keeping the local economy alive.

@grumpycivilservant

Clearly the local lockdown in GM has not worked. Quite the opposite. People aren’t following the guidelines and cases are rising ever higher.

So why continue with something that isn't working? I'm really glad we have Andy Burnham representing us, it's nice to have a little bit of influence in Westminster and I trust him far more than boris. More power to Andy!

Because the local “lockdown,” such as it is, is very soft. From my own observations and from speaking to friends, family and colleagues, (and even from threads on here) the vast majority of GM residents seem to be living their lives as normal and paying no heed to the rules. A stricter lockdown would force their hand. It can’t come soon enough.

I shall be watching the judicial review with great interest.

@toxtethOgradyUSA

People aren’t following the guidelines and cases are rising ever higher. Where is your proof that people aren't following the guidelines? I suspect the people of Manchester, Liverpool, and other Northern cities have been following the guidelines just as much - or little - as other parts of the UK.

Could people in the NW work from home as much as in the SE?

Were socio-economic issues at play which prevented people from getting tested (eg not being able to get to a test centre because they are poorly located unless you have access to a car)?

Did poor people feel they couln't take time off work?

As I say, discussions about whether there were compliance issues are utterly meaningless unless you properly look at WHY after lockdown rates remained higher in the NW.

As far as I know, all the data has suggested that compliance has not been wildly different across the country - apart from along socio-economic lines and along age lines.

Make of that what you will.

Socialising in others’ homes when you’re not allowed to has nothing to do with socioeconomic issues...

Several months down the line more people will be alive in Liverpool. Less long-term disabled with Long Covid and fewer long-term job losses too.

Then again, perhaps not. People live and work across boundaries. Viruses certainly don't respect made up by humans regional borders. And people are still travelling - internationally as well as regionally.

We know that the countries who've taken effective measures to contain Covid have healthier economies.

To save the economy, we need to contain Covid asap. To do that, we need a coherent joined-up national approach. Confusing regional 'tiers' cause division and resentment (both from those who want proactive action, and those who want a 'rip through and consequences be damned'). An excellent distraction technique from the real needs of the whole country, however.

It's no good waiting for things to get out of hand. Shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted only drags out the whole mess - which negatively impacts on the economy.

Some of Greater Manchester towns have been forgotten, or they don't know we exist Tier 2, and it has nothing to do with bandwagon Andy Burnham, who as a local lad, and Leigher I wanted to do well.

Will the airports stay open in tier 3 areas?
Any short-term hardship of stricter restrictions has to be worthwhile. Unrestricted international travel (without proper quarantine) renders it all rather pointless.

@RedComb the evidence is in GM numbers are actually levelling off/dropping www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchester-past-coronavirus-peak-just-19087258.amp