When is the London announcement due?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

Do you think the whole of London will be put into Tier 3?

Will the Christmas relaxation period of 5 days still stand?

The Christmas mixing concession is regardless of tier, so that won’t change

Review of the tiers is due 16/12 (so will probably be leaked at inconvenient o’clock on 15th)

There’s a very good chance it will go to tier 3. Anyone heard how London’s hospital capacity is bearing up? Especially ICU

Announcement is 16th. So yes, look for something on Twitter tomorrow evening From everything I've read London should be tier 3, but I think Johnson will try to find some spurious reason not to do it.

All the tiers are due for review on 16th but I think that doesn’t kick in till the 19th?

AFAIK London hospital capacity is fine.

Tbh there are a lot of oddities on what is happening - drama, then you look at the NHS hospital admission data and go, oh, okay.

www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-hospital-activity/

@iVampire

The Christmas mixing concession is regardless of tier, so that won’t change

Review of the tiers is due 16/12 (so will probably be leaked at inconvenient o’clock on 15th)

There’s a very good chance it will go to tier 3. Anyone heard how London’s hospital capacity is bearing up? Especially ICU

I wouldn’t bet on that

They may cancel it and say stay in tier rules.

They can try. I will still be seeing family regardless. I need this Christmas relaxation for my mental health.

@AcornAutumn It applies from 00:01 on the 18th according to our town update.

That's ok then @kittensarecute as long as your mental health is ok eh?

@DameCelia

That's ok then *@kittensarecute as long as your* mental health is ok eh?

Got it in one! I've sacrificed enough.

Sorry but I'm close to the end of my limit with all this and I need my family.

kitten

Enjoy your Christmas. Here's hoping your mental health takes a turn for the better in 2021

All the tiers are due for review on 16th but I think that doesn’t kick in till the 19th?

I hope that's true. My dd has something important to her on the 17th.

Hospital capacity as the key measure makes perfect logical sense but it's such a tricky sell politically, as it's essentially going: 'has your area been historically underinvested in for decades? Here you go, have some punitive measures that destroy your local economy. Do you live somewhere that's always had a disproportionate amount of investment and attention? You crack on!'. It's very 'to those that have, more shall be given'.

I'm not sure why London is being lumped all together when there are very different infection rates across the various boroughs?

a) because everywhere else was lumped into big areas for tiers, regardless of the nuances of local areas, so it'll cause outrage if London is seen as too special to do this
b) because the rates are very different but although it's mostly worst in the NE, it's not that neatly divided - there isn't a clear point to draw a line halfway across London - and it would be ridiculous to have a patchwork where a tier 3 borough sits in the middle of three tier 2 ones etc.

Yes that's true I suppose @Hardbackwriter I really feel for London hospitality businesses who will be facing permanent closure

Peston usually announces any important changes the afternoon before the government does, so keep an eye out on his Twitter feed for any updates...

Problem is in London is that critical care and ED staff are starting to get sick again
So even if Covid admissions aren't particularly high capacity becomes an issue because there aint the bodies to look after them

@DameCelia

That's ok then *@kittensarecute as long as your* mental health is ok eh?

Good for her. Mental health is extremely important.

I've been in lockdown/tier 3 forever, and hospitality businesses are starting to fold at an alarming rate now.

The London issue is no doubt going to dictate what happens here, whatever our numbers are showing. We have falling infections and good hospital capacity, but none of that will matter. Frustration is building in the north.

Does anyone know what happens to support bubbles if we go into the higher tier? I’ve just joined a bubble with my parents (DS is under 1). That still stands, right?
They’re in Herts so also pretty dire Covid rates at the moment.

@hamstersarse
absolutely
I am in southern GM and rates here are now well below national averages.Yet we've been in restrictions for longest of all bar Leicester.
I can imagine uproar if London remains in tier 2 and us in tier 3!

@bendmeoverbackwards

I'm not sure why London is being lumped all together when there are very different infection rates across the various boroughs?

My parents live in a sleepy Midlands village but but have been "lumped in" with their closest city, 22km away. London should be treated as One, and I live here.

I'm expecting parts of London, Essex and ent to be tier 3, but I'm not sure if they will just put the whole lot in.

I tend to agree that London should be treated as a whole, as other areas of the country are.

Unless they put borough boundaries in which is unrealistic and unenforceable.

Even the boroughs identified for mass testing are ridiculous - lots of children cross borough boundaries for school and teachers for work.

BBC are reporting that it might be announced as early as today.