LONDON’S Covid cases are “off the chart” and Tier 3 measures may have to be toughened up, MPs were warned today.
The capital is expected to be put into the top level of restrictions later this week – with public health bosses pressing for even tighter curbs on socialising, hospitality and business in the run up to Christmas.
MPs had another crunch health briefing with public health officials and civil servants this morning where they were told of the dire state of London and the South East.
They were told that the cases are “off the charts” and “off the scale” and now “drastic action” was needed.
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.”
Public health officials present in the meeting warned that the current Tier 3 rules were not working well enough in some areas like Kent – warning that toughened up measures may be on the cards for the whole country.
A decision on any areas changing Tiers is expected to made on Wednesday evening, with an announcement Thursday, to come in on Saturday.
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
The London Mayor called for testing of all workers who can’t stay home, for schools to shut now and reopen later, and for people to wear face coverings outside in public spaces too.
SCHOOL’S OUT?
MPs were also told that schools would not be closed – and that shutting them would mean teenagers hang around in shopping centres and other areas spreading the virus instead.
But another MP said: “Secondary schools should close today and go into remote learning.”
Schools in Greenwich are being advised to close – against the advice of the Department for Education which wants to keep them open.
Schools are already able to close a day early – leaving Friday as an inset day if schools want to.
MPs for regions around London said they expected to be yanked up from Tier 2 into Tier 3 too as the data for the whole of the south east was looking worrying.
