London should look to the North as example of how to exit Tier 3 restrictions, Chris Whitty says

England’s Chief Medical Officer has urged those about to be placed under Tier 3 restrictions to take inspiration from places in the North where coronavirus rates have come down.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced today that London and areas of Essex and Hertfordshire would be placed under the toughest restrictions from Wednesday.

The decision to move into stricter measures was brought forward due to “very sharp, exponential rises” in cases.

It will mean the hospitality sector must close except for takeaways, and groups of six can only meet in outdoor public spaces.

And Mr Hancock said the Government would not be afraid to go further if rates did not drop, casting into doubt arrangements for households to form bubbles over Christmas.

Professor Chris Whitty, speaking at a Downing Street press conference, said: “Think of what was achieved in the North of the country and in the Midlands when people really did decide to pull things down in the equivalent of Tier 3.”

He said: “Communities came together to try to achieve that and the rates came down.”

Liverpool, which went into Tier 2 after the second national lockdown, was given as an example.

While earlier today Mr Hancock hinted Leeds may move into Tier 2 later this week.

But speaking from Downing Street he said: “This moment is a salutary warning for the whole country.

“This isn’t over yet.”

He did not go as far as to say the Government would cancel plans to allow households to mix for five days over the Christmas period.

But he said: “It is incredibly important that people are careful and cautious, especially ahead of Christmas, and especially if they want to see loved ones at Christmas.”

Mr Hancock said he understood why after “such a difficult year” people wanted to see their loved ones.

The Health Secretary then sidestepped a question on whether there were any circumstances in which the Christmas relaxation of Covid rules would be re-assessed.

He said: “Our messages around Christmas are really clear. We understand why people want to see their loved ones, especially at this time of year, especially after this year.

“But it must be done in a way that is careful and responsible, and I think people understand that too.

“If you are planning to meet up with loved ones at Christmas, then being careful now, two weeks ahead, making sure you minimise the chance of both catching the disease and passing it on is the right thing to do – actually, that’s the right thing to do all the time.”

Prof Whitty said: “On Christmas, I think all of us know that Christmas is a period of greater risk.

“And the festive season more generally is a period of greater risk.

“But, at the same time, what we have to try to do, all of us as society, is trying to find this really difficult balance between doing things that are the least damaging we can achieve, whilst keeping the virus under control – walking that really narrow path.”

He said: “The point of this (relaxation of rules) is for, under certain circumstances, families who wish to, to get together, but they really have to be very, very careful.

“And in particular, incredibly careful if they’re around people who are vulnerable, who are at very high risk of this virus.

“In the medium term, the vaccine is going to give us a way out, but it is not going to give us a way out between now and Christmas or indeed for the two months following that, and we need to be really conscious of the fact that only by protecting one another, and particularly protecting the vulnerable over this period are we going to get through to the point where people have been properly protected, and we can return to having the kinds of relationships with family that all of us want.”

He said the relaxation of the rules would have an impact.

“But the key thing is we’ve just got to be sensible,” he said.