Staffordshire is set to move to High Alert for Covid-19, in a bid to stem the rise of cases, the county council has confirmed today.

Biddulph Nub News reported yesterday how the county was set to follow Stoke-on-Trent into stricter Tier 2 coronavirus control measures.

The council has today confirmed that this is the case, with a post on its website outlining more information about the move into Tier 2.

The exact date of when the new measures will come into place has still to be confirmed, but it could be as soon as this weekend. The status of the alert will be reviewed in 14 days.

Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: "Our residents and businesses have made huge efforts to keep our county safe and open, but despite this, cases continue to rise rapidly and we are now facing tighter restrictions.

"This year, Staffordshire has showed what it does best - pulling together and supporting our communities, but now we need to redouble our efforts to avoid any further restrictions and protect our county.

"We can, and we must rise, to this new challenge, but it is down to each and every one of us to stick to the new rules when they do come into force to help keep Staffordshire safe and open for business."

The Government's three tier alerts are: Tier 1 (Medium), Tier 2 (High) and Tier 3 (Very High). The main difference between Medium and High is the additional laws on households mixing indoors.

Those in the Tier 2 are not allowed to meet people from other households socially anywhere indoors, whereas those in Tier 1 can do so, as long as they still stick to the 'rule of six'.

The county council says it is continuing to work with district and borough councils and partners to manage the impact on the county and it will continue to lobby Government for support for residents and businesses struggling during the pandemic, as well as support for wider efforts to contain the virus.

Dr Richard Harling, Director of Health and Care, said: "The virus is spreading in Staffordshire largely through social contact, so this extra guidance on mixing indoors will hopefully help reduce the rate of infection.

"By sticking to the Covid High Alert rules, we have the best chance of not only curbing the spread of infection, but also of having these extra measures removed as quickly as possible."

For the full details of restrictions for areas in Tier 2, visit the relevant page of the Government's website here.