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| Coronavirus: Blackburn with Darwen brings in new measures | Coronavirus: Blackburn with Darwen brings in new measures |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| New measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Blackburn with Darwen have been introduced after a spike in cases. | New measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Blackburn with Darwen have been introduced after a spike in cases. |
| For the next month, people living within the Lancashire authority must observe the rules in a bid to avoid a Leicester-style local lockdown. | For the next month, people living within the Lancashire authority must observe the rules in a bid to avoid a Leicester-style local lockdown. |
| The new measures include tighter limits on visitors from another household, and officials have called on people to bump elbows in place of handshakes and hugs. | The new measures include tighter limits on visitors from another household, and officials have called on people to bump elbows in place of handshakes and hugs. |
| Mass testing began at the weekend after 61 new cases sprang up within a week. | Mass testing began at the weekend after 61 new cases sprang up within a week. |
| Lockdown 'real possibility' | Lockdown 'real possibility' |
| Residents are being told to wear cloth face coverings in all enclosed public spaces, including workplaces, libraries, museums, health centres and hair and beauty salons. | Residents are being told to wear cloth face coverings in all enclosed public spaces, including workplaces, libraries, museums, health centres and hair and beauty salons. |
| Blackburn with Darwen's public health director, Prof Dominic Harrison, also called for people only to bump elbows with anyone outside their immediate family. | Blackburn with Darwen's public health director, Prof Dominic Harrison, also called for people only to bump elbows with anyone outside their immediate family. |
| He said public protection advice for small shops was being stepped up to ensure social distancing was being observed. | He said public protection advice for small shops was being stepped up to ensure social distancing was being observed. |
| Targeted testing is taking place in the borough, and residents have been told they do not need to have symptoms to be tested. | Targeted testing is taking place in the borough, and residents have been told they do not need to have symptoms to be tested. |
| Prof Harrison said: "These steps will help and we are appealing to everyone in Blackburn with Darwen to follow them to protect themselves and their loved ones. | Prof Harrison said: "These steps will help and we are appealing to everyone in Blackburn with Darwen to follow them to protect themselves and their loved ones. |
| "If we don't, a local lockdown, like in Leicester, becomes a very real possibility." | "If we don't, a local lockdown, like in Leicester, becomes a very real possibility." |
| He said increased testing would mean a "rise in the number of cases" in the next seven to 10 days. | He said increased testing would mean a "rise in the number of cases" in the next seven to 10 days. |
| If rates were continuing to rise after two weeks, he said, the authority would "have to consider reversing some of the national lockdown lifting measures locally". | If rates were continuing to rise after two weeks, he said, the authority would "have to consider reversing some of the national lockdown lifting measures locally". |
| This would be done "one by one until we see a reversal in the current rising trend," he said. | This would be done "one by one until we see a reversal in the current rising trend," he said. |
| "It's up to everyone to make sure we don't have to do that." | "It's up to everyone to make sure we don't have to do that." |
| He said there would also be "targeted work" after a rise in infections within the South Asian community - in particular "cluster infections" among families living in small terraced houses. | He said there would also be "targeted work" after a rise in infections within the South Asian community - in particular "cluster infections" among families living in small terraced houses. |
| When "one person gets infected in a multi-generational household, all the household members are getting infected", Prof Harrison said. | When "one person gets infected in a multi-generational household, all the household members are getting infected", Prof Harrison said. |
| How Blackburn with Darwen compares | How Blackburn with Darwen compares |
| Figures show Blackburn with Darwen recorded 47 new cases per 100,000 in the week ending Saturday, up from 31.6 the previous week. | Figures show Blackburn with Darwen recorded 47 new cases per 100,000 in the week ending Saturday, up from 31.6 the previous week. |
| In Leicester, where a local lockdown has been imposed, the rate has risen from 115 per 100,000 to 118 over the same period. | In Leicester, where a local lockdown has been imposed, the rate has risen from 115 per 100,000 to 118 over the same period. |
| But this is still down from 152.2 in the seven days to 27 June. | But this is still down from 152.2 in the seven days to 27 June. |
| Based on figures released on Tuesday, Pendle in Lancashire currently has England's second-highest rate of new cases for the week, rising from 14.2 per 100,000 to 76.6 in the week to 11 July. | Based on figures released on Tuesday, Pendle in Lancashire currently has England's second-highest rate of new cases for the week, rising from 14.2 per 100,000 to 76.6 in the week to 11 July. |
| Data obtained via NHS dashboard | |
| Information videos are being produced in English, Urdu and Gujurati to spread the message in the former mill town. | Information videos are being produced in English, Urdu and Gujurati to spread the message in the former mill town. |
| Council leader Mohammed Khan said the authority was working to spread the message that "life cannot go back to normal just yet, and we must all make sacrifices to avoid a local lockdown". | Council leader Mohammed Khan said the authority was working to spread the message that "life cannot go back to normal just yet, and we must all make sacrifices to avoid a local lockdown". |
| "We are doing everything we can to get a grip on the virus, and we need everyone in Blackburn with Darwen to pull together to help us," he said. | "We are doing everything we can to get a grip on the virus, and we need everyone in Blackburn with Darwen to pull together to help us," he said. |
| "Please continue to do your bit to stick to the rules to protect yourself and your family." | "Please continue to do your bit to stick to the rules to protect yourself and your family." |
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