No new restrictions in Egham after PM unveils new three-tier alert system

Egham and surrounding areas will not be subject to the new coronavirus restrictions unveiled by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons this afternoon.

A new three-tier system, which will identify areas as being either “medium”, “high”, or “very high” risk, will be introduced in an attempt to reduce soaring infection rates in some parts of England.

Runnymede, the borough in which Egham is situated, is currently classified as a “medium” risk area, meaning that new restrictions will not be introduced. However, a 10 pm curfew for bars, pubs, and restaurants will remain in place, as will the rule of six.

Under the new rules, only local areas classified as “high” or “very high” risk will need to adhere to new restrictions from this Wednesday.

The Prime Minister told the Commons: “The number of cases has quadrupled, more people in hospital than there were in March, deaths are already rising.” He warned that “not to act would be unforgivable”.

In “high” risk areas, households will be banned from mixing indoors (including hospitality venues) but will be allowed to meet in private gardens.

Restrictions in “very high” risk areas will be tougher and will include a ban on households mixing both indoors and outdoors and pub closures. Locals will be advised against non-essential travel and from travelling outside the area.

However, the restrictions in “very high” risk areas will fall short of a full local lockdown. Restaurants, and pubs that serve food, will be allowed to stay open, and non-essential shops, schools, and universities will also remain open. Local politicians will decide whether gyms, salons, betting shops, and casinos can stay open.

The new measures will be applied to areas in the North West and West Midlands, where cases are the highest in the country.

However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that new measures could be imposed in the capital as early as this week to stem the rise in coronavirus infections.

West Midlands Conservative Mayor Andy Street said that he was “very disappointed” by the new measures. He called for more financial support for affected businesses.

Liverpool Labour Mayor Steve Rotherham told Sky News that he would have “confidence” in the new measures that are to be imposed in the city if he had seen “scientific evidence that backs [it] up”. He added: “We’re still waiting for the government to provide us with that information.”