Greater Manchester

I think that rather than "punitive" measures, there should be a more sophisticated understanding of why the virus continues to spread in certain areas.

It's known that there is a higher density of cases in areas where there are high levels of deprivation and poor housing. There is a higher percentage of people in such areas doing zero hours jobs and other jobs which can't be done from home. Many of them don't pay sick leave, so people carry on working. They're also likely to live in housing and have caring responsibilities, which make self-isolation difficult.

For example, one poor area of Liverpool has a very low (4%) uptake of free testing. The reasons being given are that people don't want to know if they're infected because they wouldn't be able to work.

Mr Drakeford is considering doing something similar to the English and Scottish tier system as something needs to be done about the rise in infections. I am in North Wales and I think our numbers are not too bad at the moment.

That means we’ll all be under curfew/firebreak if figures in South Wales don’t plummet soon

It does seem unfair; however, certain cities and areas were locked down separately before the firebreak was introduced, five? in N Wales and 12 in S Wales so perhaps that just didn't work well enough.

Travel between North and South Wales is rather tortuous, though, and wouldn't be a normal commute so why all areas are treated the same is only known to Mr Drakeford. People living in S Wales are much more likely to commute to the Bristol area and vice versa.

Our daughter and son-in-law tested positive. Fortunately they are OK.

I've friends and family who live in the Tier 3 areas and worry about them. All are following what everyone should be doing but are still suffering.

GD has been sent home from school (secondary) twice now to isolate, as some has been tested positive.

We and our friends and family have also been abiding by the rules...and its annoying that the,probable minority, are causing everyone else to suffer...

Yes Parsley I agree. It's hard but we will do what's asked of us, as we have been doing all along. I was exasperated when, just before this present lockdown, we visited our little local pub.
Great precautions in place. A couple we're sitting at a table when a young man came in and asked if he could join them. The staff said no but you can sit at the next table. Great they said and sat and chatted.
They then got up to leave and flung their arms around each other (no masks). I felt like screaming.

I agree Kate and I am presently in the highest tier in Scotland so I know what its like. The second lockdown here was worse as yet again I can’t see my granddaughter and local businesses are taking another hit. The COVID-19 daily dashboard has been very useful for me to keep track of numbers in my local area and I can see whether the measures in place are working or not. But it is indeed up to individuals to do the right thing.

Yes I agree Parsley but as our area is very likely to go into tier 3, not being able to see anyone, everything closed etc, I am quite annoyed that we have been sticking to the rules and others haven't and have caused the spread here. I've seen people behaving like idiots.

There is no perfect solution but I do think that tiering is a fairer system than a blanket lockdown. It concentrates the mind of those in the higher tiers and doesn’t punish areas where the incidence of the virus is low.

Anglesey has some of the lowest infection/death rates in Wales (my county Conwy at the lower end also) LauraNorder but Mr Drakeford is adamant there will be no ‘tiering’ In Wales.

That means we’ll all be under curfew/firebreak if figures in South Wales don’t plummet soon☹️

Yes, I fully expect Greater Manchester to be in the top tier again with even tighter restrictions. I actually live just a few hundred yards from the border with Cheshire and our infection rates are below national average but it’s a post code lottery!

Still, no whinging from me, I do however feel sorry for those businesses affected by closures, I hope they manage to hang on.

Feeling for you in Manchester and hoping most will be able to hang on in there until the vaccine turns things around.
We’re not too bad in Anglesey at the moment but aware that it can change on a sixpence.
Good luck

I'm a in a part if the West Midlands that looks as though it's heading for tier 3

Also in GM. Everyone is feeling the pressure and many businesses have ust given up. So sad.

Also in Greater Manchester and I feel we will go into an even stricter lockdown as it has been rumoured that the restrictions will be tightened up.
I fear for us all.