THE county council is pleading with the Government to keep the area in Tier Two as tighter restrictions now would be "a disaster for Essex".

In a statement released yesterday evening (Thursday, 10 December), Leader of Essex County Council (ECC), Councillor David Finch, said: The county council's position is clear – Tier Two remains the right place for Essex to be this Christmas.

"Our current infection rate across the whole county is 169.4 per 100,000, which would be a clear Tier Two position. Equally we are addressing as a matter of urgency those areas with much higher infection rates, particularly in Basildon where they are the third highest nationally, and neighbouring boroughs and districts."

Latest data shows a further rise

However, the latest data published on the Essex County Council website shows that while the seven-day rate of infection for the county stood at 169.4 per 100,000 on 3 December, figures already in for the seven days up to 8 December put it at 232.5 per 100,000. This figure is likely to increase as not all results taken for tests up to that date will be back in just yet.

In Basildon – the district with the highest rate of infection in the county – the seven-day rate up to 8 December hit 530.7 per 100,000. The same seven-day infection rate for Maldon district is 166.3 per 100,000.

All of this data is publicly available on the ECC website by downloading the Covid-19 Tracker and using the data sheets for new cases.

County council says Tier Three now would not help tackle the virus

Cllr Finch added: "Tier Three would be a disaster for Essex. The majority of our population live in areas well below the Tier Three threshold. While there are some hospital pressures in Basildon and Southend, taking the county as a whole there is good capacity. There is also high confidence in the Essex approach, recently recognised by a Cabinet Office Task Force and the latest remarks from Public Health England affirming we are taking all possible steps.

"Essex Test and Trace is one of the strongest in the country, and we have recently added additional funds to further enhance an already top-class operation."

And Cllr Finch believes that tighter restrictions will serve only to damage the local economy and fail to tackle the growth in the number of cases.

He said: "Ultimately, Tier Three will, in the view of our experts, do little to reduce infection and do much to destroy our economy; any decision to change tiers coming into effect on 18 or 19 December and relaxations to arrangements over Christmas starting on 23 December, will mean going to Tier Three next week is nonsensical. It would be far better to look at the position in January."