Devon to Join Tier 3 Following Rise in COVID-19 Cases

Plymouth and the rest of Devon have been moved to the Tier 3 COVID-19 restrictions following a revision to the tier system by the Government this evening.

The changes are due to take place at 12:00am on 31st December 2020, following a rise in COVID-19 cases over the Christmas period.

With the introduction to these rules, there are now no areas in England that are in the second tier of lockdown.

Cornwall has been moved from Tier 1 to Tier 3, alongside Devon, while the Isle of Scilly is the only location in England to be in the lowest tier.

Furthermore, these changes have prompted secondary schools to delay their return following the Christmas holidays.

Students due to take exams were set to return on Monday 4th January 2021, while the rest of the year groups were required to study from home in an attempt to stagger the return.

The Government has now confirmed that exam students will be required to spend a week at home and return on the week of 11th January; while the rest of the year groups spend two weeks at home in order to return on the 18th January.

According to the information provided in this evening’s COVID-19 update from the Government, 12.2 million people are now in the third tier of restrictions, which is equivalent to 21.7% of the population.

On top of this, 44.1 million people are now a part of the ‘Stay at Home’ Tier 4 restrictions, which makes up 78.3% of the population.

What are the restrictions in Tier 3?

Now that Plymouth and the rest of Devon has been placed into Tier 3, more restrictions have been put in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Here are the restrictions that have been put into place:

• Mixing with other households indoors is no longer allowed, unless you are within a support bubble or with someone in your household.
• You can still socialise in certain outdoor places (such as parks), but with a maximum of six people.
• Bars, pubs and restaurants are now closed, with the exception of takeaway services.
• If you are able to work from home as a part of your job, you are prompted to do so.
• Accommodation is closed, with limited exceptions. Overnight stays are also not permitted unless you are part of the same household or support bubble.
• Places of worship remain open, but you cannot interact with people outside of your household or support bubble.
• Education will remain open, but will stagger the return of students.
• Try to avoid travelling outside of your area, unless you are doing so for work or education.
• Indoor leisure will remain open, though classes and group activities are not permitted.
• Retail and personal care will remain open.
• Indoor entertainment venues will be closed.
• Weddings and Funerals are permitted with a select number of people.
• Classes and organised adult sport can take place outside, but not inside.
• Group exercise activities should not take place indoors unless with your household or bubble.
• Residential care is following COVID-secure arrangements.

[All information listed was provided by the Government]

What are the restrictions in Tier 4?

The Tier 4 restrictions are a much more strict version of those of the third tier, with the following changes being applied:

• You cannot mix with anyone inside, unless they are within a support bubble or your household.
• You can still meet people outdoors, but only in public places such as parks. No more than two people may meet.
• Bars, pubs and restaurants are closed, but takeaways can remain open.
• Non-essential shops must closed, unless they operate a click-and-collect or a delivery service.
• Everyone must work from home, unless they are unable to do so.
• Education will remain open during term time.
• Indoor leisure and accommodation will be closed.
• Personal care will be closed.
• You must not stay overnight unless you fall within certain exceptions.
• Funerals can take place with a specific number of people.
• Weddings are limited to six, but only in exceptional cases.
• Indoor entertainment is closed, some outdoor entertainment may still be open.
• Places of worship will remain open for private prayer and communal worship; though you may not interact with anyone outside your household or support bubble.
• You must stay at home, and only travel for work, education or other legal reasons.
• Travel outside of Tier 4 areas is not allowed; and those within Tier 1,2 and 3 may not enter a Tier 4 area.
• You may leave your home to exercise with someone from your household, bubble or one other person.
• You can visit relatives in care homes, but must follow the COVID-secure procedures.
• Extremely vulnerable people are advised to stay indoors as much as possible; unless you are doing exercise or attending a medical appointment.

[All information listed was provided by the Government]

There is a lot of speculation about how the UK will handle the new strain of the coronavirus as we head into 2021; and we will be providing as much information as possible here on the Doughnut. Stay tuned for more information.