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Coronavirus: What are the new lockdown rules for Greater Manchester? Coronavirus: What are the new lockdown rules for Greater Manchester?
(3 days later)
Parts of northern England are now subject to new local measures to stop the spread of Covid-19. Parts of England are now subject to ''local lockdowns'' to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
Separate households have been banned from meeting each other indoors in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire. Separate households are currently banned from meeting up indoors in Greater Manchester, where a major incident has been declared following a rise in cases.
Similar restrictions apply in east Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire.
What measures are being taken?What measures are being taken?
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. A major incident is an event or situation with a range of serious consequences, which requires special arrangements to be made by one or more emergency responder agencies.
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. Greater Manchester Police said the decision helped agencies respond "as effectively as possible", and access the resources they needed after a local rise in coronavirus infection rates.
Residents can also still travel to and from work. Residents there and in other locked-down areas are not allowed to socialise with other households in their homes, gardens or any other indoor venue, either inside or outside the local area.
The government will pass new laws to enforce the changes, and police will be able to take action against people breaking the rules. They can travel to and from work and can also visit pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues, but only with members of their household.
In Blackburn with Darwen specifically, indoor gyms, swimming pools and other sports facilities must remain closed. They can still meet up to six people from different households in an outdoor public place.
The restrictions follow England's first local lockdown, which was introduced in Leicester. The government is passing new laws to enforce these rules, and police will be able to ask people to disperse, and to issue fines.
Why have the latest restrictions happened? In Blackburn with Darwen, indoor gyms, swimming pools and other sports facilities must remain closed.
The government's strategy is to target local clusters or outbreaks. While shielding has now been paused in most parts of England, those shielding in local lockdown areas should continue to do so. Shielding in Charnwood and Blaby in Leicestershire, and also in Luton in Bedfordshire will continue until 17 August, while shielding guidance in the other affected areas will be under review.
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, after a rise in infections. Leicester was the first place in the UK to experience local lockdown, after a sharp rise in infections at the beginning of July.
Lockdown measures included:Lockdown measures included:
Residents were told to stay at home as much as they were able and 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 may be fined up to £3,200.People or businesses that repeatedly flout the new law may be fined up to £3,200.
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. In Leicester, most venues can open but leisure centres, gyms and pools will remain closed. Religious ceremonies can also take place.
Also the borough of Oadby and Wigston on the city's outskirts will come out of local lockdown. The borough of Oadby and Wigston on the city's outskirts have also come out of local lockdown, although there is still a shielding extension there.
Why local lockdowns? Why have the latest restrictions happened?
The government is trying to target local clusters or outbreaks to stop the spread as quickly as possible and prevent a national lockdown.
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.
Data showing the number of cases in a particular place is used to help decide what action should be taken.
Contact tracing data suggests the localised flare-ups were prompted by households meeting up without following social distancing, Health Minister Matt Hancock has suggested.
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 area, while door-to-door testing may also take place.
Public Health England has also produced a watchlist of areas, based on new coronavirus infection rates, and other local intelligence.
Why are there 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 can:Ministers can:
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. They 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 resident from a locked-down area wanted to go to a bar in another part of the city, 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. A local lockdown was considered in Anglesey after an outbreak in June, Public Health Wales says, but it didn't happen.
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 guidelines for handling any disease outbreak.