LONDON could be ordered into Tier 3 TODAY as Matt Hancock prepares to make a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan was set alarm bells ringing the capital could be plunged into the toughest restrictions from today, as he revealed there had been a 75 per cent surge in cases.
When asked if there could be tougher restrictions brought in before the Thursday review, Mr Khan told Sky News: “It’s possible because we’ve seen over the last few days a big increase in the virus.”
The Health Secretary is set to give MPs an update on the latest surge in Covid infections at around 3.30pm today.
In another crunch briefing with health ministers, London MPs were told new Covid cases were “off the charts” and “drastic action was needed” as Mr Hancock prepared to brief the House of Commons.
And there are concerns the Tiers could be beefed up even further, as the rules were not working well enough in areas under the toughest restrictions, such as Kent.
One London MP told Trending In The News: “They were ringing every single alarm bell they can – but no extra action is being taken at all.”
Mr Hancock had said previously decisions on changing Tiers would be every two weeks, with an announcement not until Thursday.
Mr Khan has even called for schools in the capital to be closed a week early, as cases have skyrocketed for kids aged between 11 and 18 years old.
Mr Khan demanded all workers who can’t stay home be tested and for people to wear face coverings outside in public spaces too.
The average number of new cases over seven-days has risen in 32 local authority areas.
And there are 17 boroughs where the infection rate has jumped above 200 cases per 100,000.
It comes as:
- London Mayor Sadiq Khan today called for a fresh plan to try and stop the capital going into the next tier
- Matt Hancock will make a statement today on the latest Covid developments in the Commons
- Schools in Greenwich are set to close early
- It’s unlikely that London will be split into different areas – as MPs have been told it’s easy to spread the virus from one to the other
According to the latest figures, the borough of Havering has the highest coronavirus rate in London, with 1,314 new cases recorded in the seven days to December 9 – the equivalent of 506.3 cases per 100,000 people.
This is up from a rate of 321.3 in the seven days to December 2.
In a letter to Boris Johnson, Mr Khan called the surge in cases “deeply concerning”.
Face coverings should also be made mandatory in busy outdoor public spaces given the increase in Christmas shoppers over the coming weeks, he added.
Mr Khan said: “Time is running out to get the virus under control in our city which is why I urge the Government to heed my call and provide us with the extra support we desperately need.”
And speaking to Sky News this morning, the London Mayor warned Tier 3 would be “catastrophic” for the capital’s businesses.
He revealed there has been a 75 per cent surge in coronavirus cases across the capital, but put it down largely to kids between the age of 10 to 19-years-old.
“I don’t see many 10 to 19-year-olds in pubs, bars, restaurants,” Mr Khan said, as he urged the Government to close schools a few days early rather than punishing the hospitality sector.
London Tory MPs are resisting against going into Tier 3 and have called for mass testing to be rolled out across the capital instead.
Some of them are seeking emergency meetings with Matt Hancock and Michael Gove to beg them not to plunge the capital into harsher restrictions.
A decision on any areas changing Tiers was expected to made on Wednesday evening, with an announcement Thursday, to come in on Saturday.
