When will Sheffield Covid tier announcement be made and what will happen? Everything we know

The decision, which is expected to be announced at 11.30am today, Thursday, December 17, comes after the Government meeting yesterday on any changes to what tier of restrictions different areas will be in over Christmas.

The city is currently subjected to Tier 3 lockdown measures, where pubs and restaurants are only allowed to operate as a takeaway and households are banned from mixing.

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What Tier are Sheffield and South Yorkshire likely to be in?

According to the latest data released by Public Health England, Sheffield's case rate has increased to 144 per 100,000 in the week to December 11, with 842 confirmed cases up by 37.

This is higher compared to the data based on the seven days to December 10, where the case rate stood at 138.3 per 100,000 people, with 809 cases recorded.

Barnsley’s case rate has also increased within the same period, with the infection rate standing at 148.3 per 100,000 people with 366 cases, compared to the previous 136.1 per 100,000 or 336 confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, Rotherham also indicated an increase in its cases in a week to December 11, with 621 confirmed cases and an infection rate of 234 per 100,000 people.

Previously, it recorded 220.4 cases per 100,000 people, with 585 cases.

In Doncaster, meanwhile, the latest infection rate stands at 192.4 per 100,000 people, which is slightly higher than the 185 per 100,000 which was recorded previously there.

If the rates are still high in some parts of South Yorkshire, such as Rotherham, it could prevent Sheffield from moving down to Tier 2 as it seems unlikely that the Government would want to split the region up and move some into Tier 2 with others kept in the highest tier.

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On Wednesday, Sheffield Public Health Director Greg Fell said Sheffield will likely stay in Tier 3 due to the strain on the city’s hospitals although the number of positive cases has massively dropped.

“We have a significant number of people who have had Covid and now survived,” he said.

“But they have had complex illnesses, so they're going to be in the hospitals in a longer period of time. So, we have got a very, very little wiggle room.”

Although Sheffield and South Yorkshire are likely to remain in Tier 3, they may still have a chance to be moved down a week later on December 23, as restrictions for each area in the UK will be reviewed again before Christmas.

What are the Tier restrictions based on?

Ministers analyse the following data:

– case detection rates in all age groups;

– case detection rates in the over-60s;

– the rate at which cases are rising or falling;

– the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken;

– pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy.

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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.