CORONAVIRUS infections have risen by 25% across the UK, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, to more than 35,200 a day in England.
On Thursday night at a minute to midnight, Greater Manchester joined Liverpool City Region, South Yorkshire and Lancashire in England’s highest tier – Tier 3 restrictions.
Warrington will move to England’s highest tier of coronavirus restrictions from next week, its council has confirmed.
Local leaders agreed a financial settlement with the government worth £5.9m.
As of 6pm yesterday, Wales went into a 17-day ‘firebreak’ lockdown.
People are being told to stay at home and pubs, restaurants, hotels and non-essential shops will shut, for the lockdown.
It is aimed to slow the rise of Covid cases and hospital admissions.
Gatherings indoors and outdoors with people not in your household are banned until 9 November.
At Friday’s Welsh government press briefing, First Minister Mark Drakeford said the firebreak lockdown was about ‘saving lives, not saving Christmas’.
People can be fined £60 for a first coronavirus restrictions offence, up to a maximum fixed penalty notice of £1,920.
Meanwhile, SNP leader Sturgeon announced a five-tier alert system of restrictions, due to come into force across Scotland on 2 November.
Patrick Roach, General Secretary of teachers’ union NASUWT, said: ‘It is alarming that at a time of rising threat of Coronavirus transmission, the government’s plans do not include any extension to the safety mitigation measures required in schools, particularly in those schools in the highest tier areas.
‘Additional safety mitigation measures in schools must also be a priority if the government is to prevent the virus getting further out of control this winter.’
