I am really disappointed that all of Derbyshire, including the High Peak, has been put in the Very High Alert category - Tier 3.
A lot of people have been asking for details of the data behind the Government’s decision to put Derbyshire into Tier 3. The full data set can be seen here, and the full Tier 3 guidance is here.
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
Q. Why is Derbyshire in Tier 3?
Derbyshire has been put into Tier 3 because case rates remain very high at 275 per 100,000, and in those over 60 (who are more vulnerable) it is 220 per 100,000. The pressure on the local NHS also remains high, which is deeply concerning. We've seen higher numbers of Covid patients in hospital than even at the peak of the first wave back in April and a large number of non-covid appointments have had to be cancelled as a result of the high number of Covid cases in hospitals as well as staff absences due to Covid.
England Average Case Rate: 165 per 100,000
Derbyshire Case Rate: 275 per 100,000
Q. Why have we been lumped in with the rest of Derbyshire?
Lots of people are understandably frustrated that we’ve been put into Tier 3 because of other parts of Derbyshire with much higher rates.
The Tier system has been done on a county basis. This is because, before the current national lockdown was introduced, lower tier areas that were surrounded by higher tier areas saw much more rapid increases in cases, as people from the higher restriction areas were visiting and inadvertently bringing the virus with them. The Government want to avoid that from happening again.
It is worth noting that the 3 main hospitals used by High Peak residents, Stepping Hill Hospital, Tameside Hospital and Chesterfield Royal Hospital, are all in Tier 3 areas as well.
Having said that, there are unique geographic factors in High Peak and Derbyshire and I am making the case that this should be considered in any decisions on tiers.
Q. Why is Derbyshire in Tier 3 when London and Liverpool are in Tier 2?
Lots of people have asked why we are in Tier 3 whilst London and Liverpool are in Tier 2. Again, this comes down to the data, with both London and Liverpool having substantially fewer cases per 100,000, see below:
Derbyshire Case Rate: 275 per 100,000
London Case Rate: 181 per 100,000
Liverpool Case Rate: 174 per 100,000
Q. When will the tiers be reviewed?
The tiers will be reviewed every 14 days with the first review taking place on 16th December.
It is crucial we all play our part over the next few weeks to drive cases down and try and get Derbyshire into a lower tier as fast as possible.
I am focusing on making the case to get us out of Tier 3 and on getting support to businesses and people who are affected.
As always, if you have any questions or need support, please do contact me.