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Coronavirus: Are more local lockdowns likely in England? Coronavirus: What are the new lockdown rules for Greater Manchester and other places?
(1 day later)
Oldham is the latest area of England to introduce new local measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. Parts of northern England are now subject to new local measures to stop the spread of Covid-19.
The Greater Manchester borough wants to avoid following Leicester, where a rise in cases led to a local lockdown. Separate households have been banned from meeting each other indoors in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire.
What measures are being taken in Oldham? What measures are being taken?
Residents are being asked not to have social visitors to their homes and to keep two metres apart when outside. Residents in the affected areas cannot mix with other households in their homes or gardens, apart from people in their support bubbles. They also cannot visit someone else's home or garden, even if they live outside the affected areas.
Anyone shielding has been asked to continue to do so until 14 August (elsewhere in England shielding advice is being relaxed from 1 August), and care homes will not relax restrictions. People can still go to pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues, but only with people with whom they live. They cannot socialise with anyone else in any indoor public venue.
The restrictions follow a rise in cases in the borough. Data published by Public Health England (PHE) showed 119 cases recorded in the week to 24 July - equivalent to more than 50 per 100,000 population. The week before saw 26 cases recorded. Residents can also still travel to and from work.
Oldham follows Rochdale, its neighbouring borough, and Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle in Lancashire, in introducing new restrictions. The government will pass new laws to enforce the changes, and police will be able to take action against people breaking the rules.
In Blackburn with Darwen specifically, indoor gyms, swimming pools and other sports facilities must remain closed.
The restrictions follow England's first local lockdown, which was introduced in Leicester.
Why have the latest restrictions happened?
The government's strategy is to target local clusters or outbreaks.
A cluster is a group of cases in one place like a hospital, factory or school. When clusters are linked, this is called an outbreak.
The government uses data on numbers of cases in a particular place to help decide what action should be taken.
Health Minister Matt Hancock said that contact tracing information in the affected areas had shown the higher levels of cases were because of households meeting, but not following social distancing.
More cases are also being identified through testing. England has more than 250 testing centres, and a dozen walk-in centres are being set up.
If a cluster or outbreak occurs, extra testing equipment, including mobile units, is sent to the affected area. Door-to-door testing may also take place.
Public Health England has also produced a coronavirus watchlist of areas, based on an assessment of incidence rates, and other indicators such as trends in testing, local responses and plans, healthcare activity and mortality.
What has Leicester's local lockdown involved?What has Leicester's local lockdown involved?
Leicester introduced a strict local lockdown at the beginning of July, because the city's seven-day infection rate had risen to 135 cases per 100,000 people. It has since fallen. Leicester introduced a strict local lockdown at the beginning of July, after a rise in infections.
Lockdown measures included:Lockdown measures included:
Residents were told to stay at home as much as they were able. People were also told to avoid non-essential travel to, from, and within Leicester. Residents were told to stay at home as much as they were able and avoid non-essential travel to, from, and within Leicester.
People or businesses that repeatedly flout the new law could receive fines of up to £3,200. People or businesses that repeatedly flout the new law may be fined up to £3,200.
The lockdown has since been lifted for some suburbs of Leicester, and the government is due to review the situation by 30 July. From Monday in Leicester, restaurants, cafes, bars, hairdressers, cinemas and museums can open but leisure centres, gyms and pools will remain closed. Religious ceremonies can also take place.
What does a local lockdown look like? Also the borough of Oadby and Wigston on the city's outskirts will come out of local lockdown.
Why local lockdowns?
On 17 July the prime minister announced new powers for local authorities and central government to stop specific outbreaks of Covid-19.On 17 July the prime minister announced new powers for local authorities and central government to stop specific outbreaks of Covid-19.
He said that coronavirus would be controlled "through targeted local action", because more was known about how and where it was spreading.He said that coronavirus would be controlled "through targeted local action", because more was known about how and where it was spreading.
These actions would range from targeting a hospital, factory, school or one business in a building, to locking down a whole city.These actions would range from targeting a hospital, factory, school or one business in a building, to locking down a whole city.
Local authorities were given powers to:Local authorities were given powers to:
Ministers have the power to: Ministers can:
How are places with lots of cases identified?
The government's strategy is to target local clusters or outbreaks.
A cluster is a group of cases in one place like a hospital, factory or school. When clusters are linked, this is called an outbreak.
The government uses data on numbers of cases in a particular place to help decide what action should be taken. More cases are now being identified through testing.
England has more than 250 testing centres, and a dozen walk-in centres are being set up.
If a cluster or outbreak occurs, extra testing equipment, including mobile units, is sent to the affected area. Door-to-door testing may also take place.
Public Health England has also produced a coronavirus watchlist of areas, based on an assessment of incidence rates, and other indicators such as trends in testing, local responses and plans, healthcare activity and mortality.
Can police enforce a lockdown?Can police enforce a lockdown?
Police have powers to enforce a local lockdown. For example, if they believe that somebody is staying away overnight, they can tell them to return home.Police have powers to enforce a local lockdown. For example, if they believe that somebody is staying away overnight, they can tell them to return home.
Police can also fine people for breaking the rules, and they may also issue a "prohibition notice" directing somebody not to do something.Police can also fine people for breaking the rules, and they may also issue a "prohibition notice" directing somebody not to do something.
But if a Leicester resident wanted to go to a bar in Nottingham, for example, there is nothing legally to stop them.But if a Leicester resident wanted to go to a bar in Nottingham, for example, there is nothing legally to stop them.
Instead, the government hopes people's sense of civic responsibility will see them follow guidance to stay at home.Instead, the government hopes people's sense of civic responsibility will see them follow guidance to stay at home.
What has been said about the rest of the UK?What has been said about the rest of the UK?
Public Health Wales said that a local lockdown had been under consideration after an outbreak in Anglesey in June, but this did not come to pass.Public Health Wales said that a local lockdown had been under consideration after an outbreak in Anglesey in June, but this did not come to pass.
In Scotland, public health teams work for the NHS, rather than councils, and the Scottish Government says it is developing a "responsive system of community surveillance" at a national, regional and local level to identify outbreaks quickly.In Scotland, public health teams work for the NHS, rather than councils, and the Scottish Government says it is developing a "responsive system of community surveillance" at a national, regional and local level to identify outbreaks quickly.
In Northern Ireland, the government says that any potential clusters or outbreaks will be handled using "appropriate infection control" in line with its normal guidelines for handling the outbreak of any disease.In Northern Ireland, the government says that any potential clusters or outbreaks will be handled using "appropriate infection control" in line with its normal guidelines for handling the outbreak of any disease.