The Government has today announced the outcome of its review of the Covid-19 tier system in England and has decided Herefordshire will move into Tier 1 (Medium Alert) from Saturday 19 December.
While Herefordshire infection rates are low compared to other areas, residents are being urged to stay vigilant, follow the Tier 1 guidance and go the extra mile to help protect themselves and their loved ones from the virus as well as prevent it from spreading.
Herefordshire’s Acting Director of Public Health Dr Rebecca Howell-Jones said: “Although going into Tier 1 eases some of the current restrictions, I am asking Herefordshire residents to take extra care up to and after Christmas to protect their family and friends particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable. The decisions we all make now will affect us and the wider community in the coming weeks and months.”
The county had been in the Tier 2 (High Alert) level since December 2 when the month-long national lockdown was lifted. However the Government is reviewing each area’s tier status every 14 days.
When doing this the Government considers 5 key epidemiological indicators:
- case detection rates in all age groups
- case detection rates in the over-60s
- the rate at which cases are rising or falling
- positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)
- pressure on the NHS
The indicators are designed to provide a full picture of what is happening with the virus in any area so that suitable action can be taken.
