the Telegraph reports. Mr Van-Tam is also alleged to have said during the summit that there was no guarantee that closing pubs and bars completely would help bring the virus under control.Greater Manchester has so far resisted Boris Johnson's push to upgrade its Tier 2 status to a more restrictive Tier 3, as has been imposed on Liverpool.Moving the region into Tier 3 would force all pubs and bars to be close unless they serve meals, and members from different households would be banned from mixing indoors and in gardens.But Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has refused to accept Tier 3 status without without better financial backing.Mr Burnham has accused No10 of treating the North with “contempt” and last week asked to see evidence.