Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a news conference on the ongoing situation with the COVID-19 in London, Britain on March 22, 2020. Ian Vogler/ Reuters
Around 1.34 million people in the English county of South Yorkshire will be under Tier 3 lockdown from Saturday, local government announced on Wednesday.
The restrictions prevent mixing of households indoors and in private gardens, and at most outdoor hospitality venues and events, and no more than six people can meet in outdoor public spaces. All pubs and bars not serving “substantial meals” must close, as well as entertainment businesses. Travel in and out of the region apart from for essential purposes and staying overnight in the region is also advised against.
Gyms will remain open in the area, although gym classes are banned.
The restrictions will cover all four local authority areas—Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield.
Labour MP Dan Jarvis arrives to attend a press conference in London, on July 11, 2016. Carl Court/Getty Images
“If restrictions are effective, individual local authorities will be able to move to lower alert levels as soon as it is safe to do so, in consultation with fellow local leaders, myself and national government,” Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said in a statement on Wednesday.
Jarvis, who is also a local Labour MP, said local leaders had reached an agreement with the government on financial support.
“Our Council leaders and I have secured £41m funding from Govt to support our people and businesses as we move to Tier 3. We’ve taken action to protect both lives and livelihoods as pressure increases on our #NHS. The new rules start at 0001 on Sat 24 Oct,” Jarvis wrote on Twitter.
The 41-million-pound ($53.5 million) support package includes 30 million to support the region’s businesses, and 11 million to support public health measures such as Test and Trace.
Javis had said on Monday that the government would have to offer the support they need if they are required to lockdown.
A mural depicting NHS nurse Melanie Senior in Manchester's Northern Quarter, in Manchester, England, on Oct. 19, 2020. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Greater Manchester will move into Tier 3 on Friday, without a complete support package agreed.
The region with a population of 2.8 million will get 22 million pounds ($28.5 million) in support.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that the government had made a more “generous” offer, which the Mayor had turned down.
Mayor Andy Burnham said the government failed to offer the “bare minimum” they needed to “prevent poverty, to prevent hardship, to prevent homelessness”, which he said was 65 million pounds ($84.81 million).
Burnham said on Tuesday that he’s still “willing to do a deal, but it cannot be on the terms that the Government offered,” which Johnson said was worth 60 million pounds.
Gyms
Tier 3 lockdowns previously required gyms to close, resulting in gym closures in Liverpool, the first city to go into Tier 3 lockdown.
Subsequently, gyms in Lancashire and Greater Manchester were allowed to remain open, as a result of consultation with local authorities.
