England puts major cities on stringent tier 3 restrictions after lockdown

The UK government announced on Thursday that England will return to the regional tiered based system after the lockdown ends on December as the nation battles coronavirus infections ahead of Christmas celebrations.

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The Boris Johnson government has put Birmingham, Kent, Greater Manchester, Newscastle on the stringent tier 3 system, along with Leeds, Sheffield and Bristol.

Also Read: COVID-19 vaccine could arrive before Christmas, says German chancellor Merkel

"I understand the impact these measures will have but they are necessary," Health secretary Matt Hancock told parliament.

In the tier 3 system restaurants and other outdoor businesses are placed on lockdown with residents asked not to travel to other parts of the country. According to the British government, coronavirus cases have 19 per cent and hospital admissions down seven per cent in the past week amid the lockdown.

The measures also include employees to work from home and social distancing to be maintained with anyone not in the household or support bubble. There is also restrictions in meeting people in a group of up to six people.

Although hospitality venues are to be closed however beauty and hair salons are allowed to stay open.

As Leicester was placed in tier 3, Labour MPs, Liz Kendall, Jonathan Ashworth and Claudia Webbe in a joint statement said: "This has already been an unbelievably tough year, and the news that Leicester will go into tier 3 – on top of the 150 days of our extra lockdown – is extremely difficult to hear."

Health secretary Hancock said that the tier system would be reviewed regularly as the opposition demanded the tiers to be reviewed every week, not every fortnight.

Britain is one of the hardest-hit due to the virus with over 1.5 million cases and over 56,600 fatalities recorded so far as an infections survey revealed that virus cases have been declining in England.