The Prime Minister sets out a new, three tiered system of restrictions across england to try to get coronavirus back under control. For much of england, theres no change only Liverpool City Region is placed under the most severe restrictions. There, pubs and bars will close. It follows a dark warning from the nhs. If we do not take measures to control the spread of the virus, the death toll will be too great to bear. But in other areas with very high infection rates such as the north west, the Prime Minister hasnt put them in the most severe category. There are changes, though, to nottinghamshire, east and West Cheshire and a small part of the Peak District, which will have some additional restrictions. This is not how we want to live our lives, but this is the narrow path we have to tread between the social and economic trauma of a full lockdown and the massive human
and indeed Economic Cost of an uncontained epidemic. The Prime Minister, back in the commons, with news he did not want to give, as cases continue to grow and grow, so limits on our lives increase. We report from one hospital on merseyside, an area where admissions could reach peak pandemic levels within 10 days. A levels and gsces in england will go ahead next year, but most will be delayed by three weeks. And the Royal Academy of dance is one of a number of arts organisations given government funding to help them keep going. And coming up in sportsday later in the hour on bbc news. The pros and cons of project big picture will the radical proposals for restructuring of the game really get the go ahead . Good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. The Prime Minister has set out a new, three tiered system of restrictions across england. Government scientists warned earlier today that more people are in hospital now with covid than at the time of National Lockdown in march. But only Liverpool City Region has been placed under the new most been placed under the new, most severe restrictions. For other areas with high infection rates, the Prime Minister says only that discussions with local leaders are continuing. The new restrictions will start from wednesday and will be broken down like this. The lowest is the medium level of restrictions, where the Current National rules continue, like only being able to meet six other people and the 10pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants. Most of england remains in this tier. Next is the high level, which means that there can be no household mixing indoors anywhere,
with the rule of six still applying outdoors. Most areas in england currently under stricter measures will be placed in tier 2. In addition, nottinghamshire, east and West Cheshire and a small area of the Peak District will also move into this tier. Tier 3 is the very high level of restrictions. It prohibits any mixing of households either indoors or outdoors and pubs and bars close. In tier 3, additional measures can be put in place with support from the local authorities. The Liverpool City Region is the only area so far to enter this tier. Meanwhile in wales, the Health Minister there says a decision will be made in the coming days on new lockdown measures and in Northern Ireland, Health Officials are understood to be urging ministers to take decisive action. Scotlands Nicola Sturgeon says she will draw up her own tiered framework towards the end of the month. Our political editor, laura kuenssberg, has been examining the detail. Hence from behind whitehalls close doors have haunted towns and cities, waiting to know precisely what the next few weeks might hold. After days of wrangling, the Prime Minister is now ready to put england into three levels of alert. Prime minister, have you lost control of this pandemic . It is now more than 200 days since the first case of coronavirus in the uk. It is far from done with us, or Boris Johnsons government, yet. From done with us, or Boris Johnsons government, yet. There are now more people in hospital with covid than when we went into lockdown on the 23rd of march, and that are already rising. I believe not to act would be unforgivable. You can see the front benchs fears on theirfaces, but you can see the front benchs fears on their faces, but for now, only the Liverpool City Region will go into the most stringent category in england, with pubs closing, travel restrictions and limits on who you can meet. This is not how we want to live our lives, but this is the
narrow path we have to tread between the social and economic trauma of a full lockdown and the massive human andindeed full lockdown and the massive human and indeed Economic Cost of an uncontained epidemic trick of the hope is that the tier system will be simpler than the patchwork of rules which put more than 10 Million People under extra limits. This is farfrom a tidying up people under extra limits. This is far from a tidying up exercise, there is a serious warning about what is to come. The weeks and months ahead will continue to be difficult, and will test the mettle of this country, i have no doubt at all, that together we will succeed. So, liverpools pubs will be shut by the time it is sarahs actual birthday later this week. Her wedding business has not had a job for six months and she is taking on extra shifts as a nurse. Like many they are worried about paying their bills as well as protecting their family. I worrying about my kids, not being able to socialise and go out and see their family and friends. So, yes, it has a huge
impact. You can just friends. So, yes, it has a huge impact. You canjust imagine friends. So, yes, it has a huge impact. You can just imagine streets like this all be enclosed in a few months time, and not opening again, its going to be a real disaster for a city like this. Where businesses are forced to close, the treasury will pay some of the wages, but only two thirds, from the start of next month. Rebecca owns the bar and she worries it is not enough. A lot of oui worries it is not enough. A lot of our staff only do 17 hours a week, so our staff only do 17 hours a week, so if they are only began two page six to 3 of that, they are not going to be able to afford to live. Liverpool might be the first, but it is not likely to be the last, so local leaders are pushing for more support. If the government have made that decision, then therefore, they should be providing the level of support which was previously meted out to the whole country, during the lockdown in march. Labour does back the approach but not how the job is being done. I am now deeply sceptical that the government has actually got a plan to get control of this virus, to protectjobs or regain public trust. We tried to give the Prime Minister the benefit
of the doubt, but it increasingly feels like the Prime Minister is several steps behind the curve. Rules vary still in wales and Northern Ireland, but scotland has already closed many pubs. At a strategic level, we will be looking to align as closely as possible with the other uk nations. I think it is important and it makes sense to try to do that. Well the measures be enough. . To do that. Well the measures be enough. . No 10 is to do that. Well the measures be enough. . No 10 is preparing to do that. Well the measures be enough. . No 10 is preparing to explain more this evening, conscious that this narrow political path has steep drops on either side. While the Liverpool City Region is the only part of england to enter the toughest form of these new restrictions, it is clear in government that there is an expectation that there could be other parts of the country to follow. And there are also more than 4 Million People in england who will be facing extra limits on who they can spend time with outside of those people that they actually live with already. And fiona it does feel like this is a big moment. Weve had chilling words from the governments most senior medics today, we have
heard stern and sombre words from the Prime Minister as well, frustration from tory mps at how it is being handled, matched by frustration from local leaders around england, too. But clearly when talking to people in government right now, this does feel like a moment which is going to get worse before things improve. Law at westminster, thank you. This morning, senior Government Medical advisers warned that pressure is building on the nhs, with a stark rise in hospital admissions in the north of england, and that the infection is clearly spreading across the uk from the younger generations to the older. Our medical editor, fergus walsh, has more. The nightingale hospitals in manchester, sunderland and harrogate, set up for the first wave of coronavirus, are now being mobilised for the second. There are more patients in hospital with covid i9 than when the National Lockdown happened in march, and government scientists warn the numbers will rise. We have baked in additional hospital
admissions, and sadly, we also have baked in additional deaths, that are now consequent upon infections that have already happened. There have been almost no hospital admissions among the under 18s, the flat line there, and there has been some increase among those aged 18 64. But now look at those aged 65 84, a sharp rise in hospital admissions, and even more striking among those aged 85 plus, reinforcing the evidence that it is the elderly who are most at risk from coronavirus, even though most cases are among the younger age groups. Many who were never admitted to hospital have lingering health problems, like fatigue, so called long covid. And then there are all the usual demands on the health service. Much non urgent care was postponed when the virus first hit. The hope this winter is that that wont happen. Contact your gp if youre worried about cancer symptoms, an unusual lump, for example, or blood in your urine. Use the Emergency Service if you have chest pain or another acute condition. We are determined to keep that capacity for Non Covid Services open for as long as possible. But the key to this is reducing infection rates. So much depends on whether the rise in Coronavirus Infections can be curbed. This map shows the rate of change of coronavirus in england. The areas with the sharpest rise in rates are shown in red, and you can see theyre notjust in the north of england. The epidemic is also growing further south, especially in parts of london and the home counties, even though case numbers are still much higher in the north. Nhs leaders warned that within four weeks, some hospitals in northern nhs leaders warn that within four weeks, some hospitals in northern
england could be treating more Covid Patients than they were in april, and theyre urging the public to respect the rules on coronavirus. Fergus walsh, bbc news. So, as weve heard, the Liverpool City Region is in the only place in england in the highest tier, with the greatest restrictions. As well as pubs and bars, the local authorities have agreed that gyms, leisure centres, betting shops and casinos will all have to close, too. Danny savage is in liverpool for us this evening. Danny, the Prime Minister says this decision was made in agreement with local leaders, but theyre not sounding happy tonight . No, in the last half an hour or so, the mayors for the area along with the mayors for the area along with the local Council Leaders have issued a joint statement saying, it was made clear to us that the government would be doing this regardless of whether we engage with them or not. They say they disagree with the level of the fellow scheme which has been announced, which they say is inadequate and risks pushing
tens of thousands of low paid workers below the National Minimum wage. On the ground, and in reality, that translates into Business Owners wondering if they are going to go bust or not, and workers left in tea rs. In these areas, the government will set a baseline of prohibiting social mixing indoors and in private gardens andl mixing indoors and in private gardens and i am sorry to say closing pubs and bars. Once again, the Prime Minister is calling last orders at the bar, not everywhere, but here in liverpool, they know its coming. The owner feels a sense of doom and says government isnt enough. We have already checked his figure and it works out at £500 a week. My fixed costs are £2500 a week. My fixed costs are £2500 a week. So whether were trading or not i still have to pay £2500 a week in bills, so £500 is not going to do anything. From wednesday, the Liverpool City Region will face those tougher restrictions, this bar will probably shut. Paula works here full time and is devastated. Will probably shut. Paula works here fulltime and is devastated. Its just a bit worrying. You have a Good Employer here that paid you 100 last time and you are hoping that that happens again this time . |j didnt that happens again this time . didnt expect anything, its not fairto didnt expect anything, its not fair to put it all on, like, to put it all on the employer, its not fair. Do you think we might get closed down . I think we will, and i think a lot of businesses wont open again. It is certainly what everyone is talking about. It makes me really worried, to be honest, because even if we are not shutdown first of all, it frightens people more, less people come out to get their hair cut. Ive had quite a few people in today, mostly because they are scared in case we shutdown again. Today, mostly because they are scared in case we shutdown againm a nearby cafe, alex and alex are both doctors. They have seen events unfolding first hand. Both doctors. They have seen events unfolding firsthand. If you look at the admissions rates in hospital at
the admissions rates in hospital at the moment, we are approaching where we we re the moment, we are approaching where we were in march. Were rapidly heading that way, in fact. we were in march. Were rapidly heading that way, in fact. I think it would be a pretty big deal, locking it down, but it might be necessary , locking it down, but it might be necessary, im not sure. The restrictions will start in two days time. Who knows when they will end . Danny savage, bbc news, liverpool. So, the latest official figures show a rise in new infections. 13,972 were recorded in the latest 24 hour period. It means the average number of new cases reported per day in the past week is 111,588. Hospital admissions have also jumped. On average, 615 people were being admitted every day over the past week. This number doesnt include scotland. 50 deaths have been reported thats people who died within 28 days of a positive covid i9 test. That figure is usually lower after the weekend. It means on average in the past week, 72 deaths were announced every day, which takes the total number of deaths so far
across the uk to 42,875. As covid cases continue to rise across merseyside, theres a warning from the local Public Health director that hospital admissions could reach the same numbers as at the peak of the pandemic within ten days. At Whiston Hospital in knowsley, there are currently 90 patients, up from seven only a month ago. Our health editor, hugh pym, has spent the day there. Shirley went through it all in march and april, with the surge in patients going into intensive care, and now she feels its happening again. This is really real, it really is. It frightens me, we all have to look after ourselves, to look after our families and to look after the wider community. Please take heed of what the government guidelines are. The hospital is serving a Merseyside Community with one of the highest infection rates in the uk and they invited us in today to see just what it means for frontline healthcare. Bbc news is donating some Personal Protective Equipment to the hospital. There are now nine covid patient here in intensive care, double the number a week ago. A few weeks before, it was just one. That just shows how fast things are escalating, and the impact on the hospital. Weve had a really challenging weekend, so we know that were coming out of the weekend with a very busy organisation. At a gold command meeting, the hospitals Senior Management are told there has been a jump in covid patient numbers. Weve got 90 current positive impatients, weve had 13 new positive patients in the last 24 hours. For frontline staff like nadine, there is concern at how fast events are moving and the likely pressures they will bring. We put our feelings to the back of our minds from the last wave, because it was so stressful, and now that weve got this second wave, the anxiety has definitely
come back within the staff and within the trust. Are you feeling ok about the surgery today. . The hospital is pressing on with non covid care. Melissa has come in for a routine operation. Herjoints are easily dislocated because of her condition. It was postponed back in march. Now theyve called me back in, i am so relieved, even my carers are. Theyre just so relieved that it can finally get done, and hopefully i can get some comfort and relief from it. We are ready to care and we will protect you and keep you safe. The medical director says theyre doing all they can for patients but it is getting more difficult by the day. These last couple of weeks have felt at least as worrying as a medical leader, as it did in the first wave, and in many ways, even more worrying, because i dont have the room to manoeuvre within the hospital, that is already full, and full of really deserving patients. How close are you two having to cancel routine surgery and procedures because of covid cases . We are really close. Right now, ive got every operating theatre running. But we risk having to take some of that down. Back in intensive care, grace is ready to move out. She wants to warn others about the reality of covid i9. Be fearful of it, make sure that you do the right guidelines, keep keeping yourself safe. A message which nhs staff want the public to grasp, as they face the bleak consequences of rising virus infections. Hugh pym, bbc news, at Whiston Hospital, on merseyside. Three nightingale hospitals in some of the worst affected areas in england are preparing to re open in case they are needed to deal with a surge in coronavirus admissions. The nhss medical director, professor stephen powis, announced the hospitals in sunderland, manchester and harrogate are now on standby, and there would be increased testing of staff across hotspot areas. Fiona trottjoins us now from sunderland. Fiona. This one opened in may and its never been used. In the coming months it could be saving lives. Over the past four months alone hospitals in the north east and north west of england have seen a sevenfold increase in the number of patients being admitted with coronavirus. At manchester Royal Infirmary alone 30 of its critical ca re infirmary alone 30 of its Critical Care beds are now taken up with Covid Patients. The aim of sites like these is to be on standby to help ease some of that pressure. Here there are 460 beds, 500 at harrogate and 750 in manchester. The trustee has made it clear it will be responsible for deciding whether Covid Patients use these beds, patients without the virus but still needing urgent care, and it will be responsible for staffing. Do they recruit from the military . And they
will be regular testing for staff too, whether or not they have symptoms. Fiona trott, thank you. The time has just gone quarter past six. Our top story this evening. The Prime Minister sets out a new three tiered system of restrictions across england to try to get coronavirus back under control the Liverpool City Region is to be placed under the strictest curbs. And yorkshire Sculpture Park is one of a number of arts organisations given government funding to help them keep going through the pandemic. Coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news can the king of clay rafa nadal now claim to be the greatest, as he draws level with Roger Federer on 20 grand slam titles . The new high tier of restrictions announced by the Prime Minister will include areas across england which have already been subject to additional measures. Pubs and bars will remain open but people from different households are now banned frome being able to meet wbr id wbr12540 indoors in them. Are now banned from being able to meet indoors in them. Nottinghamshire is among a number b
of areas added to this group which now totals about 4. 4 Million People sian lloyd has been getting people. Sian lloyd has been getting reaction from people there. Nottingham, under grey skies and with empty streets. This is what a tier two city looks like today. It has the highest covid rate in england, but nottingham hasnt been placed in the highest tier. The restrictions its been placed under will prevent households mixing indoors. We are really close with our family because i look after my granddaughter and i care for my mum so that will be a shame. We need to be able to see these people, its important to us. Its good news for nottingham that we are not in the worst tier, i guess, compared to some other cities, but not good for those other cities, wbrid wbr13140 but i dont really understand what tier two means. Three quarters of all new cases here
are in the 18 to 22 year age group. The student population has been described as being a significant part of the outbreak, but public Health Officials have said there is no single cause for the rise. Imogen studies at the university of nottingham, where 1,500 cases have been recorded. Shes had covid and is on the 12th day of self isolating. Outdoors we will be able to socialise as per the rule of six. Obviously its winter and the weather is getting worse so were going to have to work around it. People living here have already been warned at local level not to mix households amid concern about that rising rate. That has now become mandatory not just here in the city centre but countywide. I think we need now to encourage people to continue in nottingham to adhere to these restrictions and to work to stop this virus spreading. Rates among older people have not risen significantly, and hospitals here have not yet reached capacity. But local leaders recognise if that changes, there could be further restrictions to come. Sian lloyd, bbc news, nottingham. So as some areas become tier two, the government has made it clear it wants to balance the health of the nation and of the economy. Our economics editor faisal islam is with me. Is he succeeding . The big picture here is that this is not a National Lockdown as we had at the equivalent level of hospitalisations in march. It is not even actually a local lockdown because the government is trying to balance the economy and the health. We have had a rebound in the economy but we dont have a firmly established recovery. In liverpool restrictions they have gone out of their way to keep retail and restau ra nt their way to keep retail and restaurant is open but that hasnt assuaged all the fears of local leaders. They are wondering why the support packages, as generous as they were in march, and in the tier two areas they are wondering why
they have extra restrictions but dont have the support so still Big Decisions to be made on the balancing act between support and restrictions. Thank you. Most a levels and gcses will go ahead in england next summer but theyll be delayed by three weeks. The education secretary, gavin williamson, says the additional time should allow pupils many of whom have missed months of schooling since the pandemic a chance to catch up. Our education editor bra nwen jeffreys explains. These numbers here. No wonder theyre concentrating. Next year its their turn for a levels. After seeing this summers results chaos, these sixth formers in norwich told me theyre happy for exams to go ahead. I just want that sense of closure. Like, i worked so, so hard over lockdown and i really struggled to learn the content online. But i did it anyway. Everythings been building up to the moment of opening the results in summer 2021. And i think not to have that moment after sitting an exam would be quite a disappointment after two years of hard work. And if thats taken away, its almost like whats the point . For a level and btec students a bit of extra time. Gcse will also be three weeks later, but no further reduction in what they have to cover. So is this the best way to give them grades . I think exams are the fairest way of testing what children know. Some in charge of schools say its about catching up now. I think we mustnt underestimate students motivation to get through, particularly at a level. And how hard they work and how much they want it and how motivated they are. And the same for families and the same for teachers. Pushing next summers exams back by a few weeks will give schools and colleges a little bit of extra time. But not everyones convinced that it
will be enough to make up for all the disruption thats already happened in for all the disruption thats already happened. In places like bolton, cases are higher. Some teenagers learning online, not in class. What happens if their exams are disrupted . The government says there will be a plan b before christmas. Disruption is happening now, you know, already were about five to six weeks into the school year and some students have had five to six weeks of provision and other students might have only received a couple of weeks of provision. Its different in scotland. Exams for highers will go ahead. National fives replaced by coursework and teacher grades. Northern ireland plans exams too. But across the uk, fears of a winter of disruption ahead. Branwen jeffreys, bbc news. More than 1,300 arts venues and organisations in england will share over a quarter
of a billion pounds from the governments Culture Recovery Fund, to help them survive the pandemic. Many havent been able open their doors to audiences since being forced to close in march when the country locked down. Our arts editor Will Gompertz has more. Students at the Royal Academy of dance are put through their paces, and breathing a sigh of relief at the news of a £600,000 emergency Funding Grant from the government, which will enable their institution to stay open this winter. This is a life saver to know that all these teachers that come here at the Royal Academy of dance have a chance now to have a career here to the Royal Academy of dance have a chance now to have a career as dance teachers to go and inspire the next generation of wonderful students. Kids out there that, you know, get so many attributes from what dance has. Notjust physical wellbeing, but Mental Wellbeing as well. The culture secretary was pleased with the funding. Its a really important moment for arts in this country. The money is flowing through. But not pleased with this an unrelated government approved
advert that some thought implied it considered being a ballet dancer not to be a proper or valid job. Yes, look, i saw that. First of all it certainly didnt cross my desk as minister, and i understand it was from a partner organisation. I accept that that was very crass, and that was not the message that we are trying to get out. I understand that. Among the 1,300 plus beneficiaries of the Culture Recovery Fund are the National Maritime museum in cornwall, the Halle Concert Society in manchester, the Beamish Living Museum of the north in County Durham and thejohn peel centre for Creative Arts in stowmarket. The bristol old vic, where Olivia Colman and Daniel Day Lewis started their careers, was awarded a £10,000 grant. Was awarded a £610,000 grant. Its transformative for us as a business, and without it we wouldnt have been able to sustain our business and we would have had to go through a second round of large scale redundancies, and we dont have to do that any more. So, good news for those on the receiving end, like the yorkshire Sculpture Park, but a major disappointment for the 578 arts organisations that
had their grant applications rejected, with a combined financial requirement of £113 million. For them, the future is not looking so bright. Will gompertz, bbc news. Time for a look at the weather heres ben rich. Give us some good news thats nothing to do with coronavirus. Ican nothing to do with coronavirus. I can promise it is nothing to do with coronavirus, and actually it is good news in the sense we will lose a lot of the cloud and rain we had today, and see more scenes like this. Sunnier skies pushing into Northern Ireland this afternoon, and through the rest of this week we will see more dry and fairly bright weather, but it will stay rather chilly. This is the earlier satellite picture. This band of rain has brought rain for many, but the clearer skies are filtering into the west with some showers as well. We will continue to see showers across the western half of the uk through the western half of the uk through the night, and the outbreaks of rain struggling to clear away from
eastern england and returning to parts of southern and eastern scotla nd parts of southern and eastern scotland through the night. Lowest temperatures in scotland and the north of england. Tomorrow is still some outbreaks of rain around, one band of rain moving down into northern england, perhaps into wales in the afternoon. Showers clearing through the south west of england and rain close to the east coast of england. But for Northern Ireland and scotland it should be largely dry in the afternoon with sunny spells. Quite windy here, and with the wind coming down from the north east it wont feel warm by any stretch. 11 to 13 degrees, that is your lot. On tuesday further showers at times, but they become increasingly few and far between as we head through wednesday. The further north you are it should be dry with spells of sunshine. The strongest winds in the south at this stage, not feeling particularly warm though. It stays fairly chilly for
the end of the