Households mixing indoors now banned as Greater Manchester put into tier-two lockdown

New restrictions have just been announced


Greater Manchester is to face further restrictions, having been placed on a tier-two lockdown by the government today, wherein different households will not be able to meet indoors in any setting.

Manchester has, however, avoided being placed into tier-three of the new system, meaning that pubs, bars, and restaurants can remain open, but the indoor mixing of households is not allowed. Two households can continue to meet outdoors in public, as long as the rule of six and social distancing are followed.

Elsewhere, Liverpool was placed on tier-three of the lockdown, meaning pubs and bars will be forced to close, whilst areas on tier-one will be subject to the same rules that currently apply across the country, such as the 10 pm hospitality curfew.

Retail shops, schools, and universities will remain open in all three tiers of the lockdown.

Speaking to The Metro, Oldham MP Jim McMahon criticised the government’s handling of the situation, calling it “poor even by current standards” and saying: “Like most things, it appears to be an afterthought.”.

These new measures come following news that hospital admissions are rapidly increasing in the North, and in particular, the North West, where the current rate could overtake the first wave. Last week it was reported that some Manchester students are “in intensive care” with coronavirus. Over 1,000 UoM students and over 500 MMU students have tested positive.