Today, the Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock has announced that Greater Manchester will remain in tier three. This decision has been made based on local data which shows that the covid-19 infection rates across Greater Manchester, particularly those in Rochdale Borough, have not yet reduced to a level that would justify a safe move into tier two.
The rates in Rochdale borough are currently at 206.8 per 100,000, this is above the national average which is rising. To justify a move to tier two infection rates would have to move below the national average for a sustained period.
Hospitals here are currently coping, but any spike in numbers could bring them to capacity before the new year. Our highest priority must be to protect the NHS and our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed so that they can continue to deliver the care to all those who need it.
This was echoed by Chris Hopson who is head of NHS Providers who said "most hospitals in the north of the country still have very high levels of Covid-19 patients, just as we go into winter, the NHS’ busiest period." and Professor John Ashton, a former director of public health in the northwest, has said it would be ‘very bad mistake’ to ease restrictions in Greater Manchester.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester indicated that he would happy to leave some of the boroughs in Greater Manchester in a higher tier if others could move to tier 2, reversing his previous approach of insisting that Greater Manchester be treated as a whole. If this approach had been followed, Rochdale Borough would have remained in tier 3 as it currently has the highest rates in the area.
I know that some people were hoping to move to a lower tier and whilst it is disappointing that this cannot happen today, I believe that remaining in tier 3 is, on balance, the right decision to protect the public at this critical stage.
I will continue to monitor the local infection rate data and will be supporting a move to tier 2 as soon as that data indicates that such a move is safe and only when it is safe.
