The city, which is under Tier 3 restrictions, has the third-highest number of hospital admissions for COVID-19 in Europe
The mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, has said that pictures of people partying on the streets have “shamed” the city that is under tier 3 COVID-19 restrictions.
Joe Anderson posted to Twitter saying: “These pictures shame our city, attacking our brave police officers is unacceptable.”
“Our health service is creaking, 300 in hospital and 30 people dead in week. Ignoring these facts is why we are in Tier 3 measures.”
It follows pictures of multiple crowds ignoring the social distancing restrictions and dancing in Concert Square last night, one of Liverpool’s busiest nightlife hotspots, just before the city enters Tier 3 restrictions from today.
The “large crowd” had to be dispersed by police following the pubs in the area closing at 10pm last night, just two hours before the new tier 3 COVID-19 restrictions were put in place at midnight.
This comes after the aim of the government’s new 3-tier COVID-19 national lockdown system is to get the coronavirus under control by the beginning of next year and hopefully in time for Christmas, a minister has told the press.
In a statement, Merseyside Police have said that a large crowd was dispersed quickly and safely, saying that officers were stood down after all of the businesses in the area managed to close.
“While we understand how the new rules which are due to be implemented today are frustrating for some, we would continue to advise everyone to abide by them – including keeping social distancing – for the safety of everyone,” Chief Superintendent Peter Costello said.
The Liverpool Echo, have claimed that a police car was attacked in Concert Square, with a witness claiming that “a large group of young partygoers were defying every social distancing rule imaginable”.
Nick Small, a councillor for the city centre wrote on Twitter: “Idiots putting themselves, their friends, families and everyone else at risk, destroying jobs and our hospitality sector while they do it.”
This comes after a man from the United States has caught COVID-19 twice, with the second infection being far more dangerous than the first, say doctors, and required hospital treatment after his lungs not being able to get enough oxygen throughout his body.
Doctors working in intensive care within Liverpool have said that they are “disgusted” by what happened in the city last night, with one saying: “They don’t care that people are dying from this disease, it is heart-breaking to watch.”
Another doctor told the press that: “We have limited capacity in our ITUs across the network, but more worryingly, we have people in the corridors on trolleys waiting for beds.”
“We are running at 100% capacity. Our Emergency Departments are overcrowded. No social distancing possible.”
“I am dreading we are heading towards a disaster. Then you see crowds behaving such a way. I am really devastated and disgusted.”
