A statement from the Leader of Hertfordshire County Council about some parts of the county moving into Tier 3 restrictions has been released.

David Williams confirmed the government’s announcement that the districts of Broxbourne, which borders on Northaw and Cuffley, Hertsmere, which includes Potters Bar, Radlett, Shenley and South Mimms, Three Rivers and Watford will move to ‘Very High’ COVID alert levels at 00:01 on Wednesday, December 16.

He said: “The other six [lower-tier] council areas in Hertfordshire [including Welwyn Hatfield, North Herts, Stevenage and St Albans] will remain at ‘High’ alert level (Tier 2) but will be included alongside all other areas in England as part of the Tier review planned for Wednesday, December 16.

“We recognise the concerns that this escalation will prompt with both residents and businesses and the additional restrictions and tougher rules that this involves. The Government has taken this decision in response to the very significant increase in case numbers across the county and due to the proximity of these four district areas to north London and Essex where infection rates have also been growing significantly.

“In recent weeks we have been stressing the crucial importance of everyone in Hertfordshire following the rules and guidance around social contact and distancing, wearing face-coverings when required and washing your hands regularly. The message remains clear – we must all stay disciplined and stick to the guidance and rules if we are to improve the situation in Hertfordshire.

“We must all now redouble these efforts, particularly as we all plan for how we will follow the rules over the Christmas and New Year period including, the ‘Christmas bubble’ guidance. We must all keep playing our part to help reduce the number of cases in the county, so we can ultimately work towards returning to the type of lives we enjoyed before the pandemic.

“We are developing plans to significantly increase testing capacities across the county to try and identify more people who may be COVID-positive but asymptomatic and therefore inadvertently spreading the virus.

“We are also very pleased to see the start of the rollout of the vaccine; this is hugely significant in the battle to prevent the virus from circulating. However, we must not let our guard down and become complacent as a result of these developments.”

Cllr Morris Bright, leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, added: “I know that today’s announcement that Hertsmere, along with Watford, Three Rivers and Broxbourne, will move into Tier 3, the very highest level of alert, is a blow for residents and businesses, particularly those in our hospitality industry.

“However, we must do what it takes to protect our families and our community, and that includes following rules around social distancing; washing your hands for longer and more frequently; wearing a face covering where appropriate and only meeting people from outside your household, in open, public settings and in groups of no more than six.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all our residents and businesses across the borough who have worked so hard to keep everyone safe. With Hannukah this week and the Christmas and New Year period around the corner, we must do all we can to stop the spread of this infection now.

“As a council, we will continue to work hard to maintain our services and keep our residents informed about any changes.”

Businesses have reacted badly to the news with Richard Tunncliffe, CBI East of England Director, saying: “Businesses in the affected parts of Essex and Hertfordshire understand that rising infection rates must be controlled, and tougher restrictions are necessary to save lives and protect against longer-term economic scarring.

“However, the financial impact of moving into tier 3 will be stark. Businesses – particularly those in sectors like retail and hospitality – will have been counting on a festive fillip to help mitigate months of hardship, and further restrictions now will come as a devastating blow. Thousands of jobs and livelihoods could be at risk.

“It’s vital that any tightening of measures anywhere across England is shaped by clear evidence, consistently applied, and accompanied by increased support for businesses in the worst-hit sectors. Vaccinations are now underway and offer tangible reasons for optimism in 2021 – the government must do everything possible to help businesses survive until risks recede and trade returns.”