THE head of public health in Worcestershire has said it would not be right to put districts individually into the next tier of coronavirus restrictions.

We reported how an email sent to councillors in Malvern said Worcestershire County Council and the government were in discussions about the county possibly being moved up into the second tier of restrictions.

According to the email, the rising number of cases in Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest were the reason.

However, we now understand that the briefing sent to Malvern Hills district councillors had unintentionally misinterpreted the message from Dr Kathryn Cobain, as she had not said that she was arguing that Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest alone should be placed into Tier 2 measures and the rest of Worcestershire should remain at Tier 1.

Dr Cobain went on to release a statement saying cases are increasing county-wide and that putting districts such as Bromsgrove or Wyre Forest, which have currently had the highest infection rates, into lockdown would not protect the rest of the county.

She said: “For now Worcestershire is at level one, medium risk. Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest may currently have the higher rates of infection, but that does not mean everywhere else in the county is immune to the spread of the virus.

“It is also not the case that Bromsgrove and Wyre Forest’s infection rates would be the cause of all the county going to tier 2.

“Cases are going up countywide, and it is that fact which would lead the entire county into tighter restrictions.

“I would remind everyone that we can keep our infection rates low, our actions can prevent the need for further restrictions, it’s in our hands.”

Under the new tier system, most local authorities are in the ‘medium’ tier, which will consist of the current lockdown measures including the rule of six and 10pm closing times for pubs and restaurants.

The next level up, ‘high’, includes most areas which are currently subject to local lockdown restrictions and includes the medium restrictions plus bans households mixing indoors.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said areas where the number of cases rises the most rapidly will be put into the ‘very high’ top tier.

In this tier, restrictions on social mixing will be imposed, as well as closing pubs and restaurants.

Schools, workplaces and shops will remain open in this case, according to Mr Johnson.

See worcesternews.co.uk for the latest on this story.

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