Don’t panic! Shoppers hit the streets before tough new Covid rules come in – even though shops will still be open even in Tier 3
- The centre of Manchester was packed with people getting ahead and stocking up with essentials today
- But after second lockdown ends next week all three Tiers will still be able to shop for non-essential goods
- Manchester, along with swathes of North West, will be plunged into Tier 3 when the national lockdown ends
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Shoppers hit the streets today before tough new Covid rules come in – even though all shops will still be open even for those areas of the country going in Tier 3 after December 2.
The centre of Manchester was packed with people getting ahead and stocking up on essentials before entering the highest category of restrictions.
However after the second national lockdown ends next Thursday, all three Tiers will still be able to shop for non-essential and essential goods – as businesses are given the green light to reopen in hopes they will be given a boost during the festive period.
During this second lockdown all non-essentail shops – as well as pubs and restaurants – were forced to close but next week all shops will be able to reopen with social distancing measures in place.
Shoppers hit the streets today on Market Street in Manchester before tough new Covid rules come in – even though shops will still be open even for those areas of the country going in Tier 3 after December 2
The centre of Manchester was packed with people getting ahead and stocking up on essentials before entering the highest category of restrictions
The crowds today come despite the fact that after the second national lockdown ends next Thursday, all three Tiers will still be able to shop for non-essential
Pictures showed long queues outside Costco in Manchester this morning just days before the region sees harsh new restrictions imposed when the national lockdown ends.
Manchester, along with swathes of the North West, will be plunged into Tier 3 when the national lockdown comes to an end on Tuesday.
All shops – including those deemed non-essential – will reopen next Thursday across all three tiers
Under the restrictions, non-essential shops will open but the hospitality industry will remain closed except for takeaway and delivery.
Households are banned from mixing indoors – but schools, gyms and places of worship remain open.
In other news today:
- Central London descended into anarchy today as riot police broke up anti-lockdown rallies led by Piers Corbyn and arrested mask-less demonstrators;
- Stratford-on-Avon MP Nadhim Zahawi – who has criticised Boris Johnson’s tiered lockdown system – has been put in charge of the UK’s vaccine rollout;
- The health expert behind Sweden’s no-lockdown Covid-19 strategy appears to have been pushed off the airwaves amid a ‘split’ within the government as the country’s number of coronavirus deaths continues to rise;
- A Tory rebellion appears to be brewing as furious backbenchers accuse the Government of risking catastrophic damage to the economy with its controversial system for life post-national lockdown.
It comes as a further 15,871 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK today, marking a 20 per cent drop on the number of cases reported last Saturday.
Today’s case total shaves a fifth off the 19,875 positive tests reported this time last week in a sure-fire sign England’s second nation-wide lockdown slowed the country’s spiraling infection rate.
But Britain is not out of the woods completely as official figures have also revealed a further 479 coronavirus deaths – a 40 per cent rise on the 341 figure seen last Saturday.
Today’s death toll is the highest Saturday figure seen since May 2 when 584 Britons lost their lives to the virus.
However it is the second-lowest death toll figure seen this week – after a massive 696 deaths were reported on Wednesday and 608 on Tuesday.
Manchester, along with swathes of the North West, will be plunged into Tier 3 when the national lockdown comes to an end on Tuesday. Pictured are shoppers in
The scene on Market Street in Manchester during the final week of a four week national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus
People in Manchester city centre today in the final week of a four week national lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Many were out stocking up ahead of tighter restrictions next week
A woman adjusts a widow display at a Marks and Spencer store in Manchester in the final week of the four week national lockdown
From next week there will be three different tiers for everyone living in England, however the majority will be plunged into 2 or 3
A further 15,871 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK today, marking a 20 per cent drop on the number of cases reported last Saturday
Today one furious MP – who asked not to be named – predicted that as many as 70 MPs would rebel against the new tiered measures in a Commons showdown next week, which could see Boris Johnson relying on support from Labour to get the new restrictions approved.
Their anger has been fuelled by reports that it was ‘unrealistic’ to expect areas under the toughest Covid curbs – Tiers 2 and 3 – to move down to Tier 1 before spring, in a plan dubbed a ‘virtual lockdown’.
But Michael Gove has today issued a stark warning to any MP’s planning on rebelling.
The Cabinet Office minister urged MPs to ‘take responsibility for difficult decisions’ to curb the spread of Covid-19, amid anger from some Conservatives that much of England will face stringent restrictions
Writing in The Times today, Mr Gove said the decision to impose the restrictions was necessary to ‘pull the handbrake’ and avoid the ‘disaster’ of NHS hospitals – and private sector and newly-built Nightingale hospitals – becoming filled to capacity with only Covid patients and emergency cases.