Covid: Nottinghamshire to enter tier 3 from Friday

Nottinghamshire's move into tier three has been delayed until 00:01 on Friday and is now set to include the entire county, the BBC understands.

Nottingham, Rushcliffe, Gedling and Broxtowe were due to move into the top tier of Covid restrictions on Thursday.

But Mansfield, Ashfield, Bassetlaw and Newark and Sherwood will also now be included, BBC Radio Nottingham political reporter Hugh Casswell said.

It comes after a council chief hit out at a delay in announcing details.

City council leader David Mellen tweeted earlier: "Nottingham people and businesses deserve clarity in difficult times. This is not good enough for our city."

Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood said a full announcement had been expected on Tuesday but was delayed because ministers wanted to extend restrictions further afield.

Following talks on Wednesday with local leaders in the northern areas of the county, the measures are set to affect all of Nottinghamshire from Friday.

Nottingham had the highest figures in the UK earlier this month, but its seven-day rate of infection has dropped again, according to the latest data.

The city had the 26th highest rate of infection per 100,000 people in England, at 439.8, in the week to the 24 October - down from 643.4 the previous week.

Hospital bosses in Nottingham have cancelled some cancer operations due to "pressure on intensive care units".

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust medical director Keith Girling said the trust had taken the "extremely difficult decision" to postpone four cancer operations this week.

Nottinghamshire will join Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, South Yorkshire and Warrington in the highest tier.

About eight million people in England will be living in the tier three - "very high" alert level by the end of the week.

This means pubs that do not serve substantial meals have to close, and there are further restrictions on households mixing.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.

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