The toughest Covid-19 tiers Berkshire towns could be in once lockdown is over

The second coronavirus lockdown is set to end of the month, meaning hundreds of businesses across Berkshire will be allowed to reopen to try to take advantage of the lucrative festive season.

However, despite restrictions being lifted across the country, that does not mean the end of the tier system.

In fact, it is thought Prime Minister Boris Johnson will introduce a tougher version of the three-tier system seen before the lockdown. The system had seen most of Berkshire in the tier one.

However, Slough, where the numbers in Berkshire are by far the highest, had been placed in tier two.

As lockdown approached, the numbers were rising in Berkshire and council bosses were talking about more serious restrictions coming in areas like Reading and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Slough : 100 per cent

Windsor and Maidenhead: 98 per cent

Reading: 97 per cent

Wokingham : 90 per cent

West Berkshire: 77 per cent

Bracknell Forest: 67 per cent

Slough also has a 100 per cent likelihood of more than 200 cases a week and a 90 per cent probably of more than 300 cases a week, according to the research.

Other areas, like Wokingham and West Berkshire, were trying to avoid going up a tier. However, as the end of lockdown approaches, the situation in a lot of parts of Berkshire has not improved.

While Public Health England has stressed it would take weeks before knowing whether the lockdown has worked, the figures in Berkshire have continued to rise - at a worrying rate in some cases.

Which tier will Berkshire towns be in?

The question most people in Berkshire will be asking is which tier the place they live will be placed in once lockdown ends.

BerkshireLive contacted the six unitary authorities to ask whether there's any indication about this yet.

Of the councils who responded, Reading Borough Council, West Berkshire Council and Wokingham Borough Counci l all said there was no indication at the time of publication.

Bracknell Forest Council and Slough Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead had not yet responded, although BerkshireLive had been previously told by Slough Borough Council "it is too early to tell".

Bosses in Slough are particularly worried about the rate of infection amongst people aged 17-21.

What do the numbers look like?

The official tiers are set to be released by the Government on Thursday, November 26, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to reveal more about the new tier systems today (Monday, November 23).

However, what we do know is that the numbers have been steadily rising during the lockdown period.

The latest infection rate figures up to the week ending Monday, November 16, show some better news though, as two areas are reporting a drop in numbers.

Wokingham's figure fell from 137.3 to 125.6 cases per 100,000 people and West Berkshire's from 123.7 to 115.5.

Other areas saw small increases. For example Bracknell Forest's rate rose from 120.8 to 122.4, which works out as two new cases; Reading's rate rose from 143.4 to 164.4, 34 new cases; Windsor and Maidenhead's rate also rose from 159.8 to 177.6, with 27 new cases; and Slough's rate remains a worry at 345.7, a rise from 264.1 and 122 new cases.

The Berkshire figures (for the seven days to November 16)

Slough 345.7 up from 264.1

Windsor and Maidenhead 177.6 up from 159.8

Reading 164.4 up from 143.4

Wokingham 125.6 down from 137.3 (235)

Bracknell Forest 122.4 up from 120.8

West Berkshire 115.5 down from 123.7