West Yorkshire to be placed under strictest level of Covid restrictions from Monday

More than two million people in West Yorkshire are moving into the highest level of coronavirus restrictions despite one council leader saying the support package will not be enough.

People living in Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Wakefield and Kirklees will join more than eight million others across northern England and the Midlands in Tier 3 from Monday morning.

£46.6 million pounds of extra support has been negotiated in West Yorkshire as the region moves into Tier 3 restrictions.

 A statement from the Leaders of West Yorkshire Councils states:

Earlier this week, the trust which runs Leeds General Infirmary and St James's Hospital said only essential operations will go ahead after the number of Covid-19 patients being treated went beyond the number admitted at the peak of the virus's first wave.

CEO Leeds Teaching Hospitals, Julian Hartley says there's been a significant increase in hospital Covid admissions in the last week. Up from 25 patients on September 23 to 268 this evening.

Other hospitals, including Bradford Royal Infirmary, have reported similarly high figures.

The Tier 3 measures mean that:

  • Pubs and bars must close, and can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant - which means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal. They may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal.

  • Wedding receptions are not allowed

  • People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor or outdoor setting, whether at home or in a public space. The Rule of Six applies in open public spaces like parks and beaches.

  • People should try to avoid travelling outside the ‘Very High’ area they are in, or entering a ‘Very High’ area, other than for things like work, education, accessing youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if they are in transit.

  • People should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK if they are resident in a ‘Very High’ area, or avoid staying overnight in a ‘Very High’ area if they are resident elsewhere.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council and also the chairwoman of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, broke the news on Calendar

Julian Hartley, the chief executive of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust explains the impact covid-19 is having on the city's hospitals.