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?

@Weedsnseeds1

We're in tier 3 at 114/100 000, Havering is 470/100 000. Other boroughs also very high rates, so I don't see any logic for London staying in tier 2.

Trafford is at 87.2 and Tameside is at 91.4

I am really hoping for them that Manchester is split in half (it is as workable as councils around being in T2 with commuter patterns) and these areas (and Stockport) are dropped out of T3.

I reported that post as well.

@kirinm

We had this, afterwards we went to the park for a picnic and there were far more than 6, sometimes rules need to be broken for everyone's welfare. Take care

I've reported that post as well - horrific thing to say.

@MaudesMum

The thing with London is that it's also a national centre, so theatres, museums, galleries etc are a resource for the country as a whole. And in many cases these have just re-opened after Lockdown 2 - if London goes into Tier 3 they'll all have to close again - with absolutely no evidence that they've had any impact on Covid.

TBH there is no evidence that any of these restrictions to hospitality make the blind bit of difference.

Yet somehow here we all are arguing the toss using unreliable case numbers about how 'our place isn't as bad as yours'

The whole thing is a shambles and hospitality are the sacrificial lamb

@OllietheOwl

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.

Currently bubbles are legally permitted in tier 3.

This is completely anecdotal, and perhaps someone has some data to prove or disprove it, but where I live the case numbers are massively increasing in secondary school age children, who are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. Which would explain why hospitalisations in London don't appear to be increasing much?

One of my dc's school closed on Friday due to an increase in cases, they were due to close this Wed anyway, so no massive impact on the kids. But hopefully once all the London schools start closing the case numbers will start to level off or go down.

The Times was reporting Manchester going down to tier 2 this morning.

Surely Bearing in mind London's impact on the overall economy there is an argument for vaccinating London as a priority?

Sure, if you actually want to provoke civil unrest...

@TabbyStar

The Times was reporting Manchester going down to tier 2 this morning.

Fingers crossed!

The BBC have just published an article in which they have been told London WILL be Tier 3

The article says may not will. But I do think it will happen, question is how quickly. Figures are dire, pointing to exponential growth, so they need to do something.

There will be an announcement today

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9051155/MPs-warned-coronavirus-cases-London-chart-ahead-Tier-3-decision.html

@kittensarecute hope you feel better

@RosesAndHellebores

At this time of year, there won't be a significant impact in London unless they close the shops. A real problem is people coming into London and taking infection back to their home towns.

OTH London is usually deserted between Christmas and NY.

Surely Bearing in mind London's impact on the overall economy there is an argument for vaccinating London as a priority?

Way to exacerbate regional inequalities!

It's not enough to be left in tier 2 to protect London's economy. Not enough that only the SE gets mass school testing. You want all the vaccine too!

So if London is going into Tier 3, why on earth are they still doing the easing of restrictions over Christmas?? It makes no sense.

The easing of restrictions never made any real sense from a scientific point of view. It was always a political move, and scientists have been begging the government to make it clearer that it’s inadvisable for weeks... sadly I suspect it’s now too late to make a difference; everyone has made their plans.

London is usually deserted between Christmas and NY

No it’s not. What about all those who live in London? It’s not just Canary Wharf and Oxford Street. London is a pretty big and diverse place...

@Lumene

The BBC have just published an article in which they have been told London WILL be Tier 3

The article says may not will. But I do think it will happen, question is how quickly. Figures are dire, pointing to exponential growth, so they need to do something.

Final decision not made. It WILL be Tier 3.

There wouldn't have been that leak/briefing otherwise. It was to mentally prepare people for the announcement and to test reaction. And to give various councils / businesses the heads up (knowing there will be a leak later in the day anyway if they don't).

Sometimes these leaks are to prevent something happening or to force it through.

In this case, the mood music and the figures are not in the court of trying to stop something happening.

London WILL be Tier 3.

I don't care if there is a 'may' in that article. I'm reading the other things going on, and what has been briefed over the weekend and fully aware of where the situation is.

@bendmeoverbackwards

So if London is going into Tier 3, why on earth are they still doing the easing of restrictions over Christmas?? It makes no sense.

Welcome to what many of us in the North have been saying for months. Since when have any of the restrictions made sense?

@HopeAndDriftWood

The easing of restrictions never made any real sense from a scientific point of view. It was always a political move, and scientists have been begging the government to make it clearer that it’s inadvisable for weeks... sadly I suspect it’s now too late to make a difference; everyone has made their plans.

I think you're right *@HopeAndDriftWood*

The ironic thing is that the vast majority of people would have accepted restrictions continuing over Christmas especially now with the vaccine and the end in sight seeming closer.

What about the Home Counties, any news on those?

@NuttyinNotts as unplayable as it may seem a decrease in growth is the most certain way to increase regional inequalities. If London moves up to tier three there will inevitably be a decrease in growth and the longer London stays there the greater the increase will be.

@hmmph we lived in London for 35 years. I can say with my hand on my heart it is exceptionally quiet. You could go for a walk in our old zone 2 area and see only an occasional dog walker or children trying their bikes and scooters before lunch. The few times we ventured into central London it was deserted. Many, many London families leave London at Christmas - perhaps not so much this year.

@kittensarecute don’t worry the Christmas relaxation isn’t affected by tiers, you’ll still get to see your family. I hope you have a good time.

@RosesAndHellebores I also live in London and that is not my experience at all.

Oxford Street and Regent Street are rammed with Boxing Day sale shoppers!

I've never heard of vast numbers of London families leaving the capital at Christmas, maybe a handful but certainly not 'many, many'. Not in our circles anyway

We're in Tier 3 because we're just within the boundaries of Greater Manchester, even though our infection rate is well below many places which are currently in Tier 2. It's a bit like a whole class being put into detention simply because a single student has misbehaved.

But then, we're in the north - so we don't count...