Desperate plea to avoid 'devastating' blow of Hartlepool being placed under toughest covid restrictions in run up to Christmas after Lockdown 2

National lockdown restrictions are in place until December 2 to help reduce the spread of Covid-19, however following this it is expected there will be return to the previous tier system.

Hartlepool’s council leaders have made a plea to residents to do everything they can to try and ensure the area is not placed into Tier 3 when the national lockdown is lifted, which Hartlepool was on the verge of previously.

Statistics for Hartlepool show that in the week up to November 15 there were 581 confirmed cases – up from 369 the week before.

Cllr Shane Moore, Hartlepool Borough Council leader, speaking at the latest Outbreak Control Engagement Working Group, said everyone has a part to play to help bring down the rising cases.

He said: “We need to use this time extremely wisely, we do need to get people complying with the current set of regulations.

“We do need people to do everything they possibly can to get cases under control and to bring them down during this lockdown period.

“The last thing we want is for at the end of all of this to exit the national lockdown into Tier 3, because for most people it won’t feel like much difference, and for many businesses it will be devastating for them especially in the run up to Christmas.”

He added he appreciated it’s going to be difficult because people did ‘knuckle down and try hard’ prior to the second national lockdown being brought in, which was reflected in data at the time.

Denise McGuckin, council managing director, noted prior to the latest national lockdown measures the Government had wanted to move the entire Tees Valley into Tier 3, and negotiations were ongoing to get the best deal for the area.

She said this was despite Hartlepool, along with Middlesbrough, seeing cases beginning to plateau at that time.

She therefore called on everyone to work together to get the message out about following guidelines now to ensure Hartlepool is in the best position possible, when the national lockdown ends.

She said: “The worry I’m slightly concerned about now is I was hoping that, and I’m still hopeful, that when we come out of the national lockdown we’ll be back in Tier 2.

“If our figures keep continuing to increase, and it’s very, very early days, then we might be placed automatically in Tier 3.

“As a board we really need to be getting the message out to people, and working collectively together, about how important social distancing is.

“I feel people think if they wear a mask that’s enough, but they have to do all three, and wash their hands as well.”

Hartlepool was previously in Tier 2 of restrictions – which meant mixing of households was not allowed indoors, and the rule of six applied to private gardens and outdoor spaces.

Previously Tier 3 meant more pubs and bars would close – however, restaurants and pubs that served “substantial meals” were allowed to stay open.

The third tier of restrictions also meant no mixing of households indoors or outdoors – including in private gardens.

However it did allow people to see friends and family they did not live with in groups of six or less in certain outdoor public spaces, such as parks and beaches.

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