Everything you need to know about going to the gym in Sheffield under a Tier 3 lockdown

The city is teetering on the edge of harsher ‘very high’ level lockdown restrictions, despite Sheffield’s incident rate – which documents the average number of infections in every 100,000 people – droppiing from the mid-450s last week to 371 on Sunday, October 18.

South Yorkshire Health bosses and local leaders are in talks with Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick to increase the Covid-19 measures from ‘high’ to ‘very high’ across the region.

There is uncertainty surrounding whether gyms in the city would be allowed to remain open under a new Tier 3 lockdown – which would close all pubs and bars that don’t serve food.

Sheffield City Council will have the final say on whether leisure facilities can continue operating, if the city is placed under the strictest coronavirus measures.

In Lancashire, which moved into the ‘very high’ level lockdown on Saturday, October 17, gyms and leisure centres have been allowed to stay open, while the same establishments in Merseyside which is under the same Tier 3 restrictions, have been forced to shut.

Lancashire County Council leader, Geoff Driver said: “We have not closed our gyms and leisure centres.

"We have got additional help and promises with regard to testing and tracing and we have got a ministerial team that is going to help us not just through the present crisis but that team will be there to help us recover in the wider sense as things move forward.”

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson asked the Government to explain why Lancashire gyms had been allowed to stay open while leisure facilities in Liverpool were closed.

In a tweet he said: “Liverpool City Region has demanded immediate clarification on why Lancashire Gyms are allowed to stay open and Liverpools close.

"Inconsistent mess we now have Tier 3 A and Tier 3 B.

"Are Gym users in Lancashire more safer than those in Liverpool Region #COVID-19 #shambles”.

In Friday’s Covid-19 press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hopes the most stringent Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions can be lifted soon.

“I’d like to see Lancashire and everywhere else coming out of Tier 3 as fast as possible”, he told reporters.

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.