The UK death toll from coronavirus rose by 241 on Tuesday – the highest daily reported rise since the first wave of the pandemic.
While the Tuesday total is often larger because of a delay in reporting deaths over the weekend, this week’s is nevertheless the highest figure since 5 June.
Last month, the government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned the UK was on course for 200 deaths a day by mid-November. The latest daily total suggests the deadly impact of the virus is running ahead of his prediction.
Quick guide What are the three tiers of England’s Covid lockdown system?
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Tier one – medium
- The “rule of six” applies, meaning socialising in groups larger than six people is prohibited whether indoors or outdoors.
- Tradespeople can continue to go into a household for work and are not counted as being part of the six-person limit.
- Businesses and venues can continue to operate but pubs and restaurants must ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and close between 10pm and 5am.
- Takeaway food can continue to be sold after 10pm if ordered by phone or online.
- Schools and universities remain open.
- Places of worship remain open but people must not mingle in a group of more than six.
- Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of people who can attend (15 and 30 respectively).
- Exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors, and – if the rule of six is followed – indoors.
Tier two – high
- People are prohibited from socialising with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting.
- Tradespeople can continue to go into a household for work.
- The rule of six continues to apply for socialising outdoors, for instance in a garden or public space like a park or beach.
- Businesses and venues can continue to operate but pubs and restaurants must ensure customers only consume food and drink while seated, and close between 10pm and 5am.
- Takeaway food can continue to be sold after 10pm if ordered online or by phone.
- Schools and universities remain open.
- Places of worship remain open but people must not mingle in a group of more than six.
- Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of people who can attend (15 and 30 respectively).
- Exercise classes and organised sport can continue to take place outdoors but will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with those they do not live with (or share a support bubble with), or for youth or disability sport.
- Travel is permitted to amenities that are open, for work or to access education, but people are advised to reduce the number of journeys where possible.
Tier three – very high
- People are prohibited from socialising with anybody they do not live with, or have not formed a support bubble with, in any indoor setting, private garden or at most outdoor hospitality venues and ticketed events.
- Tradespeople can continue to go into a household for work.
- The rule of six continues to apply to outdoor public spaces, such as parks, beaches, public gardens or sports venues.
- Pubs and bars are only permitted to remain open to operate as restaurants, in which case alcohol can only be served as part of a substantial meal.
- Schools and universities remain open.
- Places of worship remain open but household mixing is not permitted.
- Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of people attending (15 and 30 respectively) but wedding receptions are not allowed.
- The rules for exercise classes and organised sport are the same as in tier 2. They can continue to take place outdoors but will only be permitted indoors if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with), or for youth or disability sport. However, in Merseyside, gyms were ordered to close when it entered tier 3.
- Travelling outside a very high alert level area or entering a very high alert level area should be avoided other than for things such as work, education or youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if travelling through as part of a longer journey.
- Residents of a tier 3 area should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK, while people who live in a tier 1 or tier 2 area should avoid staying overnight in a very high alert level area.
Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA
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The government’s official coronavirus death toll for the UK since the pandemic began is now 43,967.
Separate figures compiled by the UK’s statistics agencies show there have now been 58,164 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The government toll is based on people who died within 28 days of a first positive test result for coronavirus.
The government said, as of 9am on Tuesday, there had been a further 21,330 lab-confirmed cases of Covid in the UK, bringing the total number to 762,542. Vallance had suggested there could be 50,000 cases a day by mid-October.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, the medical director of Public Health England, said: “The trend in deaths is rising sharply. Tragically we know that older people and those with underlying health conditions tend to suffer more if they become unwell. We all have a responsibility to follow the restrictions to help stop the virus spreading to those who are at greater risk.
“The measures across the country are there to reduce transmission of the virus, which is why it is essential that we all follow them. We know that the easiest and best way to protect each other is to regularly wash our hands, wear a face covering when required and to keep space from each other.”
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On Saturday, new restrictions came into force imposing further curbs on more than half the population of England in an attempt to halt the renewed spread of the virus.
On Friday, Northern Ireland closed schools, pubs and restaurants in a set of new restrictions to last four weeks, with the exception of schools, which will shut for two weeks.
Scotland introduced new rules for the hospitality sector on Friday, while Wales will enter a two-week “firebreak” lockdown from this Friday.
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