Following the Prime Minister’s statement of the 12^th October 2020, Essex County Council have had discussions with Council Leaders and MPs, on making an application for early entry into Tier 2. Essex County Council’s application will be considered by the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care tomorrow, and if agreed will be announced on Thursday. We expect entry to apply from some point over the weekend. While case rates are still below the average for England, they have quadrupled in a month. Hospital admissions and fatalities are rising, and even before hospitals come under severe pressure there will be further impacts on other patients such as cancer sufferers. Essex County Council are determined to avoid Tier 3 by making an early entry Tier 2 to prevent a further escalation of infections.

 

Essex County Council’s vision is to enable every household in Essex to have an explanatory leaflet by the end of the weekend. In order to achieve this aim Essex County Council will be printing the leaflets and liaising with your District, Borough and City Councils for delivery who in turn will notify you of pick up points, by yourselves, for onward distribution to your residents. Once this is in place, we will communicate with you again, however in the meantime can you please communicate with your volunteers in preparation for you to distribute the leaflets to your residents to achieve this vison by the end of the weekend.

 

Under High level restrictions, people must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place. They must not meet in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other space. Should ‘High level’ restrictions fail to work, areas would be placed into ‘Very High’, the highest level of restrictions.