What MUST happen for Chesterfield to move down to Tier 2 at first review next week

Ministers are set to review and announce which areas are moving into Tier Three and down into Tier Two on December 16.

Places which have significantly slowed the spread of coronavirus and alleviated pressure on local hospitals will be moved down into less-restrictive tiers.

Chesterfield and the whole of Derbyshire entered the highest level of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on December 2 but since then the rate of coronavirus infections has dropped in the town.

In the week to December 4 the town had 142 confirmed cases and a rate of 135.7 infections per 100,000 people.

Old Whittington had the highest rate of Covid-19 infections with 265.3 cases per 100,000, while Brookside and Walton had the lowest with 61.3 infections in every 100,000 people.

The number of cases rose slightly from the previous week, as Chesterfield had 128 infections in the seven days to November 27.

The government will decide whether Chesterfield can be moved from Tier Three – which only allows pubs and restaurants to operate as a takeaway – into Tier Two where customers can eat in hospitality businesses – on the basis of five key factors.

Ministers analyse the case detection rate and the number of new infections in all age groups but particularly the over 60s.

Another factor that is considered before an area is moved up or down a tier is how quickly infection rates are rising or falling.

The direction of cases is then compared to the average positivity in the general population, while the current and projected pressure on local NHS capacity is also looked at.

Other factors such as the number of new hospital admissions in Chesterfield and general bed occupancy due to coronavirus patients and staff absences are reviewed.

Ministers will reference local information such as if there is a contained outbreak to inform their decision.

If all of these indicators in Chesterfield are seen to be improving then the town could be moved down into Tier Two.

However if the government is not convinced sufficient progress has been made to get the number of infections in the area down, Chesterfield will remain under the harshest restrictions.

Map shows this large area of Derbyshire is almost coronavirus free

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