Melton and the Vale and Harborough District will be placed into Tier 3 and Rutland Tier 2 following the end of the lockdown on December 2nd.
Local Authorities receive updated COVID-19 rates and statistics each week, and the following statistics are accurate as of today:
- Melton’s COVID rates per 100,00 people is 289.0 – the national average is 218.4.
- Melton’s COVID rates per 100,00 people is falling. Last week it 326.1. This week it's 289.
- Melton’s rate for those over the age of 60 is below the national average.
- Melton's rate amongst those 17-21 is highest in County at 605.8, but this is due to a doubling of the cases from 7 to 14.
Tier 3 is deeply disappointing, but sadly understandable for Melton and the Vale and Harborough districts given the above national average rates of COVID-19 locally. It’s clear we need to get our stats down locally and re-double our efforts to protect one another.
Tier 3 will be in place from 2nd December until 16th December – the first Government review point. That means we have just under three weeks to get our rates down before the next review.
As residents know, a testing centre will be running from Burton Street car park from next week, and I urge residents to get tested if they have symptoms and to strictly adhere to the restrictions we will be placed into.
On top of this, as Melton is in Tier 3, we will be targeted with 6 weeks of surge testing following the model recently seen in Liverpool. Residents may know that Liverpool has now been placed into Tier 2 showing this model’s effectiveness. It is my understanding that Leicestershire County Council has received the initial resources to start mass testing, however I will provide a further update as soon as I have one.
As residents will be aware, over the last two weeks I lobbied the Prime Minister and Ministers not to group all Leicestershire districts together, and most definitely not with Leicester City, so I am disappointed with this decision.
I will work hard to push for us to move to a district level as soon as possible – at the December 16th review point. If we can get our rates down by then, I can fight for us and prove that we should be separated at the minimum from Leicester City, but I need everyone to work hard at adhering to the restrictions and to get tested. I also hope by December 16th we will have a vaccination programme live in Melton, subject to the vaccine being approved.
A reminder to residents that the Tier 3 restrictions are:
- No mixing of households indoors or most outdoor places apart from support bubbles.
- Maximum of 6 in some outdoor public spaces (e.g. parks, sports courts and public gardens).
- Hospitality is closed with the exception of sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery.
- Retail and personal care open.
- Indoor entertainment venues closed.
- No overnight stays outside of local area, unless necessary for work, education or similar reasons.
- Everyone who can work from home should do so.
- Places of worship open for individual prayer.
- 15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships and wakes.
- 30 people for funerals.
- Wedding receptions not permitted.
- Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors but people should avoid higher-risk contact activity.
- Group exercise inside should not take place unless with household or support bubble.
- Indoor leisure e.g. gyms and swimming are open.
- Elite sport, live performances and business event should not take place but drive in events are permitted.
