Why has Staffordshire moved to Tier 4 ?

Yesterday the UK government conducted the latest formal review of tier allocations across England.

The new variant of covid means that most of the country is now in Tier 4 and almost all of the country in Tiers 3 and 4. This is absolutely necessary.

The regulations will require the government to review the allocations at least every 14 days. They will also take urgent action when the data suggests it is required.

These changes will apply from Thursday 31st December 2020. This list has also been published on GOV.UK and a postcode checker will be available for the public to check what rules apply in their local area.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (Tier 4)

In the last seven days the situation in Staffordshire has deteriorated and all local authorities now have case rates in all ages greater than 200 per 100,000 per week. Of particular concern is the high case rate in people aged over 60, which is now above 150 per 100,000 per week in all local authorities.

The overall testing positivity rate has remained steady at around 9%. In terms of growth rates there is a mixed picture with relatively stable numbers in East Staffordshire, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire Moorlands and Newcastle-Under-Lyme. Stoke-on-Trent has seen a falling case rate. However, Tamworth, Lichfield, South Staffordshire and Stafford have seen pronounced rises in the last week (by more than 30%).

In the local NHS (Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent STP), the number of daily COVID hospital admissions remains variable. The daily COVID bed occupancy is above the national acute hospital average and continues to rise. COVID occupancy in mechanical ventilated beds remains high.

The situation is concerning and warrants that Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are escalated to Tier 4.