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Following the conclusion of the period of National Restrictions, Leeds will be moving into a Local COVID Alert Level of VERY HIGH or TIER 3 from Wednesday 2 December.
I understand that this may come as a surprise to some constituents due to the positivity rate in Leeds reducing and I am also very disappointed by this. However, I understand that there are still more COVID-19 patients in Leeds hospitals than there were in April and the number of deaths in Leeds has very sadly risen in recent weeks. It is also important to be mindful that the NHS is heading into the winter pressures of January and February. Therefore, it is important not to take the positive figures we are seeing for granted at this stage and to continue to do everything we can to protect our health service and educational settings.
This decision will be reviewed regularly, with the first review taking place on Wednesday 16 December.
This means that, as of 2 December 2020:
- The requirement to stay at home will end, but constituents are not permitted to meet socially indoors. The Rule of 6 will once again apply outdoors.
- Hospitality settings such as bars, shisha, pubs, cafes and restaurants must remain closed. Settings can continue to operate as takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services
- Accommodation such as hotels must close with limited exceptions
- Indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close, including indoor and soft play areas, casinos, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, amusement arcades and adult gaming centres, cinemas, theatre and concert halls and snooker halls.
- Indoor visitor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close with the exception of indoor shops, through-ways and public toilets. This includes zoos, safari parks, wildlife reserves, aquariums, at farms, model villages, botanical gardens, biomes or greenhouses, theme parks, circuses, fairgrounds and funfairs, at film studios, heritage sites and landmark observation desks and platforms.
- Leisure and sports facilities can open, but group exercise classes should not go ahead and saunas and steam rooms must be closed
- Organised outdoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes can continue, but high-risk contact activity should be avoided
- Organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes cannot take place indoors except for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s
- Travelling to other parts of the UK should be avoided, including for overnight stays, unless necessary for work, education, to receive medical treatment or due to caring responsibilities. You can travel through other areas as part of a longer journey, including to travel abroad.
Those businesses required to remain closed who have concerns about funding and support are encouraged to get in touch with Leeds City Council via their website to register their interest for the Government funding available.
I know this continues to be incredibly frustrating and challenging time for my constituents, but there is hope ahead with the promising vaccine development and plans for this vaccine to begin rolling out shortly and over the winter.