BREAKING: South Yorkshire stays in Tier 3

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced in the House of Commons this afternoon (Wednesday) that the whole of Yorkshire would be in Tier 3 from tomorrow - including York and North Yorkshire, which was previously in Tier 2.

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of Sheffield City Region, welcomed the announcement and called on people to celebrate New Year's Eve safely at home with their own household.

He said: "While swathes of the country have been placed in Tier 4 by the Government today, ministers have decided to maintain Tier 3 restrictions in our region.

"This is thanks to the hard work of people across South Yorkshire and the diligence of our NHS, care workers and local authorities to keep us all safe.

"Our collective contribution has made a big difference to the efforts to control the virus.

“While this a reprieve from the strictest measures on this occasion, there’s no doubt that we are facing a very tough January.

"We should be under no illusions about the dangers we continue to face from the coronavirus.

"Households mixing over Christmas and the spread of the new Covid strain will lead to more infections, more people in hospital and more pressures on our overstretched NHS, just as the worst winter pressures kick-in.

“It’s in all of our interests to avoid this perfect storm, which will keep families even further apart for longer and cause even more damage to local businesses.

"That’s why we must continue to follow the rules, especially with a second vaccine on its way which means we can now enter 2021 with renewed hope.

"I know our NHS, local authorities and Public Health officials in South Yorkshire are working day and night to roll this out as quickly as possible.     

“I strongly urge everyone across South Yorkshire to celebrate New Year’s Eve safely, at home with their own household.

"Doing so will limit the spread of the virus and its new strain, and ultimately mean we can reunite with our families and loved ones, open up our economy and enjoy life without restrictions sooner rather than later in 2021.”