The government has announced that Thurrock will enter ‘Tier 2 High Alert’ restrictions once the current lockdown period comes to an end.

From midnight on Wednesday 2 December, all non-essential shops and businesses will re-open. However new rules will come into force for the hospitality sector which will see some venues remain closed.

Leader of Thurrock Council, Cllr Rob Gledhill, said: “It’s very disappointing to hear that the government will place Thurrock in tier 2 when we come out of lockdown next week. I wrote to Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, earlier this week setting out our position and latest figures requesting we stay in tier 1 but, as with the whole of Essex, we have been placed in tier 2.”

While the increasing rate of community transmission has led to infection rates rising locally, Thurrock is not alone in this and the upward trend nationwide has resulted in most of the country being placed in tier 2 or tier 3 restrictions.

Cllr Gledhill added “Although this was not the most desirable outcome, we will be working with partners in our local sub-region to move out of tier 2 as quickly as possible. It is in our power to play our part to lower the rate of infection and get the borough and sub-region back to the lowest alert level – Tier 1 – when we will once again be able to enjoy additional freedoms to meet friends and family indoors.

“We must now all do everything we can to drive the rate of infection back down. This means continuing to practice hands, face, space advice, staying alert for symptoms, being ready to self-isolate if we have them or are told to by Test and Trace and using our common sense to protect ourselves and others.

“By following these simple rules and acting responsibly we can reduce the risk to ourselves and to others and halt the spread of the virus.

"I will be sending an updated newsletter to residents and businesses in Thurrock and would urge anyone who does not subscribe to these updates to do so at thurrock.gov.uk/news and also to follow our social media channels for the latest information.”

For the full government guidance on tier 2 restrictions, please visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus