This is when Doncaster Covid tier announcement will be made and the latest coronavirus rates for South Yorkshire

The announcement, which is expected to be made at 11.30am today, Thursday, December 17, comes after the Government meeting yesterday on any changes to what tier of restrictions different areas will be in over Christmas.

The town is currently subjected to Tier 3 lockdown measures, where pubs and restaurants are only allowed to operate as a takeaway and households are banned from mixing.

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What Tier are Doncaster and South Yorkshire likely to be in?

According to the latest data released by Public Health England, Doncaster’s Covid-19 infection rate stands at 192.4 new cases per 100,000 people, which is slightly higher than the previous 185.

Meanwhile, Sheffield's case rate has increased to 144 per 100,000 in a week to December 11, with 842 confirmed cases – an increment of 37 cases.

This is higher compared to the data based on the seven days to December 10, where the case rate stood at 138.3 per 100,000 people, with 809 cases recorded.

Barnsley’s case rate has also increased within the same period, with the infection rate stood at 148.3 per 100,000 people with 366 cases, compared to the previous 136.1 per 100,000 or 336 confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, Rotherham also indicated an increase in its cases in a week to December 11, with 621 confirmed cases and the infection rate of 234 per 100,000 people.

Previously, it recorded 220.4 cases per 100,000 people with 585 cases.

If the rates are still high in some parts of South Yorkshire, such as Rotherham, it could prevent Doncaster from moving down to Tier 2 as it seems unlikely that the government would want to split the region up and move some into Tier 2 with others kept in Tier 3.

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Sheffield City Region Mayor Dan Jarvis has expressed his concern over the tier review and said any decision by the government will still have effects on the community.

"Matt Hancock will decide whether South Yorkshire will remain in Tier 3. Whatever he does, many of our businesses and many in our community are already at breaking point,” he said.

"The Government has to do more to help, or we will not make it through the home stretch."

Mr Jarvis said this morning that he expects South Yorkshire to remain in Tier 3, based on the latest statistics.

Although Doncaster and the rest of South Yorkshire are likely to remain in Tier 3, they may still have a chance to be moved down a week later on December 23, as restrictions for each area in the UK would be reviewed again before Christmas.

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What are the Tier restrictions based on?

Ministers analyse the following data:

– case detection rates in all age groups;

– case detection rates in the over-60s;

– the rate at which cases are rising or falling;

– the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken;

– pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy.

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.