Will Hartlepool be moved into Tier 4? – Matt Hancock will address the House of Commons on new Covid restrictions

Matt Hancock will address the House of Commons on Wednesday, December 30 where he is expected to reveal what areas of England will move tiers to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

It is understood that the Health Secretary will announce the tier decisions after MPs have passed key legislation on the post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union.

Hartlepool could be one of the areas that might see a move from Tier 3 to Tier 4 as coronavirus infections in the town continue to rise – meaning non-essential retail, gyms and hairdressers would have to close.

It is widely believed that more areas across the country will be placed under tougher coronavirus restrictions.

A decision on the tier system is expected to be made this evening (Tuesday, December 29) at a meeting of the Government’s Covid-19 Operations committee, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

With case rates rising in all regions of England, as well as the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals, any changes are likely to involve areas moving up a tier rather than down.

Some parts of the East Midlands, such as Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, could be moved up from Tier 3 to Tier 4, while other counties such as Lincolnshire and Derbyshire may stay in Tier 3.

All the areas within the West Midlands metropolitan county – Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton – might be facing a move from Tier 3 to 4.

Hartlepool, along with a handful of areas in Lancashire – Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley – could also be upgraded from Tier 3 to 4.

Cumbria might be moved from Tier 2 to Tier 3, as could Worcestershire and North Yorkshire.

The tier announcement comes as the Government confirmed that they are still moving forward with a “staggered opening of schools” following the Christmas holidays.

Pressure has been mounting on ministers to expand Tier 4 restrictions in the face of increasing strain on hospitals in England where the number of patients has surpassed the April peak of the first wave.

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