Bristol becomes the first UK area to move into ‘Tier 1+’, announces Marvin Rees

By Epigram News Team

Bristol is to become the first area in the UK to move into ‘Tier 1+’, the city’s mayor, Marvin Rees, has announced.

Announced in a press conference today, 28 October, Mayor Rees unveiled the new tier will be implemented in Bristol with ‘targeted actions’ to reduce the number of coronavirus cases, which have risen sharply in recent weeks.

The move to ‘Tier 1 plus’ will see new measures in Bristol, including the introduction of eight Covid-19 marshals to patrol the city, increased local control over test and trace, and a targeted focus on adults of working age (those in the 30 - 60 age group).

Yesterday, a Bristol City Council spokesperson confirmed the city had a rate of 340.7 new cases per 100,000 population [in the seven days up to October 23], which ‘is considerably higher than for the previous 7 days (227.9 per 100,000)’.

Mayor Rees said if the ‘Tier 1+’ move doesn’t work, then Bristol will face the ‘inevitable’ move to enter Tier 2.

Bristol City Council is also assessing what level of financial support would be required from central government to support its citizens, should Bristol see a move to Tier 2.

Bristol’s director of public health, Christina Gray, reiterated the move to ‘Tier 1+’ was a local decision and that Bristol is the first area to adopt it.

This new approach diverges from the government’s national tiered system, which was first announced on 12 October and was aimed at streamlining the process of local lockdowns and improving the functioning of test and trace.

Featured image: Bristol City Council

What do you think of the new move to ‘Tier 1+’?