Is Britain heading for national lockdown? 16million already under new restrictions – here’s where could be next
BRITAIN could be heading for another national lockdown – with 16million people already living under tightened new restrictions.
Scores of coronavirus hotspots have emerged in large swathes of the country in recent weeks as cases rise and infection rates go up.
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As a result, several regions – including Greater Manchester, Birmingham and Leicester – have been plunged into lockdown or given restrictions that limit households mixing and curfews.
Today the North East became the latest area to be slapped with tougher new rules, with households banned from mixing, 10pm curfews imposed and restaurants and cafes limited to offering table service only.
And Boris Johnson hasn’t ruled out another national shutdown – although with the increasing number of lightning lockdowns across many regions, much of the country is already living with enforced changes.
While all of England is now having to adhere to the “rule of six” – which limits gatherings to half a dozen people – some entire regions are living with or soon face harsher rules.
Speaking to The Sun last night, the Prime Minister said 20 per cent – approximately 13million – of Britain’s population is under tightened restrictions.
The North East announcement today has plunged a further 2.7m people into lockdown, meaning almost 16m are affected.
In an exclusive interview, the PM said: “I’ve got to tell you that right now 20 per cent of the country is in some sort of social lockdown, the sheer weight of areas that now have some sort of restriction.”
He stressed the need to “work together” to flatten the curve as we did when the UK was plunged into lockdown in March 23, adding: “We got it done in the spring, we massively depressed the hump and we will do it again.”
It came after reports Professor Chris Whitty wants a second two-week national lockdown, as the true number of coronavirus cases could have soared to 38,000-a-day amid the testing shambles.
Here we outline the areas that are currently in full lockdown or have been given more restrictions, as well as the areas that are on the brink.
IN LOCKDOWN:
North East
Northumberland, Sunderland, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle and County Durham will be rolled back into lockdown from midnight tonight.
The infection rate in all of those areas is above 70, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed today.
He said the number of patients on ventilators has risen over 100 for the first time since July in the North East, adding the rise in rates is “concerning”.
Bars will now have to close between 10pm and 5pm while restaurants, cafes and pubs are table service only. Separate households will also not be allowed to mix.
Residents have been warned they should only use public transport for essential travel and not go on holiday while restrictions are in place.
Greater Manchester
The City of Manchester, Trafford, Oldham, Bury, Bolton, Tameside, Rochdale and Salford all still have coronavirus restrictions. Wigan and Stockport were under local lockdown, but are now back in line with the rest of the country, although both are being closely monitored.
The 2.8million residents in Greater Manchester are not allowed to mix with other households inside homes or private gardens, apart from if you have formed a support bubble.
They also cannot visit someone else’s house or garden, even if they are outside the lockdown area.
All pubs and restaurants in Bolton are now takeaway only and have to close between 10pm and 5am. Residents have been told they shouldn’t socialise with people they don’t live with in indoor public venues.
Care home and hospital visits have also been restricted in Bolton.
Casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, indoor play areas, exhibition centres and conference halls cannot open. And weddings with more than 20 people having a sit-down meal are not allowed.
Birmingham
Separate households in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull are no longer allowed to meet each other indoors or outside. This was brought back in on September 15 following a spike in cases.
Households within a bubble can still meet up and visit public places together.
Anyone not living together cannot meet up in private homes or gardens or public places.
The shutdown affects more than 1.6million people. The move came after regional health and local authority leaders engaged in two days of talks.
Lancashire
People living in Blackburn, Pendle and Preston are still not allowed to mingle with other households or visit someone living outside the hotspot.
Care home and hospital visits have been restricted and only allowed in exceptional circumstances.
Casinos, skating rinks, bowling alleys, indoor play areas, exhibition centres and conference halls cannot open. And weddings with more than 20 people having a sit-down meal are not allowed.
In Blackburn indoor gyms, indoor fitness and dance studios, indoor sports facilities and indoor swimming pools are still closed.
Rossendale, Darwen East, Darwen South, Darwen West, Blackburn South East, Ewood, Livesey with Pleasington, and Mill Hill & Moorgate, were under local lockdown, but are now under the same restrictions as the rest of the country.
Leicester
Leicester’s 552,000 residents are still not allowed to meet up with people from different households in homes and gardens, unless within a support bubble.
The city was the first in the UK to go into local lockdown on June 30, and was the only place in the country not allowed to ease restrictions in line with the rest of the country on July 4.
At the time, Leicester accounted for 10 per cent of all coronavirus cases in the UK.
Residents were banned from leaving home unless necessary or leaving the city, with officers stopping drivers and on duty at the station to spot check passengers.
In August pubs, cafes and restaurants reopened in the city, with residents also allowed to go on holiday with their household.
Some businesses were able to open back up on September 15, with the next review set for September 24.
Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire
People living in Glasgow City, East Refrewshire and West Dunbartonshire should not mingle with people from other households in indoors areas.
But people living in different households can meet outdoors in gardens and at pubs and restaurants.
Visits indoors to hospitals and care homes are limited to essential visits only, with outdoor visits limited to up to three people at a time from no more than two households.
Northern Ireland
The entire country has to abide by rules on indoor and outdoor gatherings, with the number who can meet outside down to 15 following a rise in cases.
Residents are only allowed to meet up to six people from two households inside.
Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf Wales
The county boroughs in southern Wales have seen restrictions brought back in after a spike in cases – with it expected to remain the same until October.
Residents there are not allowed to leave the county areas without a “reasonable excuse”, with people over 11 required to wear face coverings in shops.
Extended households, Wales’ version of the bubble system, have been suspended and people are only allowed to meet outdoors.
ON THE BRINK
Liverpool
The city has seen soaring coronavirus rates, with 106.4 cases per 100,000 people. There have been 530 new cases in the last seven days.
Mayor Joe Anderson said yesterday he expects new restrictions to be brought in this week.
Liverpool, the Wirral and St Helen’s are all seeing rising rates, with St Helen’s seeing cases double in the space of a week.
London
Britain’s capital has seen a rise of case rates in at least 30 boroughs, according to recent data. The city as a whole has an infection rate of 490.2.
And as the infection rate in around 20 boroughs teeters at the Government’s threshold for bringing in restrictions, 500,000 students are set to arrive in the capital for university.
Councillor Peter John, chair of London Councils, told Times Radio that it wasn’t clear how the government would decide on putting further coronavirus restrictions in place in the capital.
He added: “I’m particularly concerned because we know that testing capacity has been taken away from London in the last few weeks to concentrate in the North and North West.
“Dido Harding told us that last week and we know that at least 20 percent of testing capacity has been removed from the city.”
North West
The North West of England has the highest rate of infection currently of 863.3.
It is feared a lockdown similar to that imposed on the North East today could be next for the region – which includes Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire.
Warrington
Warrington has seen a sharp rise in cases in the local area and is an area of concern.
The rate of infection per 100,000 is now at 104.8 with almost 500 new cases in Cheshire in the past week.
In Warrington there has been 220 of those cases confirmed in just one week.
Leeds
Leeds is on the watchlist as the city’s infection rate jumped up, after 569 new cases were recorded in a week.
In just seven days the rate of infection per 100,000 people rose from 59.8 to 71.7.
That means Leeds is the second most infected area of Yorkshire after Bradford on 94.5.
Students were seen out and about in the city last night to mark the start of the new university term.
Many appeared not to be following the new rule of six – a limit on gatherings in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Preston
The Lancashire city has reported an increase of 180 cases in the last week, with the rate of infection at 125.8 per 100,000 people.
Officials there are concerned the city could be rolled back into a more severe lockdown to curb the spread.
In the beginning of this month the cases there soared to the highest number since May 27.
West Yorkshire
The county of West Yorkshire is facing total lockdown as parts of it are under more severe restrictions and others are still in line with the rest of the country.
Bradford residents in the following wards are affected by restrictions and unable to mix with other households: Bolton and Undercliffe, Bowling and Barkerend, Bradford Moor, Eccleshill, Idle and Thackley, Little Horton, Great Horton, Queensbury, Royds, Tong, Wibsey, Wyke, City, Clayton and Fairweather Green, Heaton, Manningham, Thornton and Allerton, Toller, Keighley Central, Keighley East, Keighley West.
And Bradford residents in the following wards saw restrictions lifted from September 3: Worth Valley, Craven, Ilkley, Baildon, Bingley, Bingley Rural, Shipley, Wharfedale, Windhill and Wrose.
Officials have declared a “major incident” in neighbouring North Yorkshire today following a surge in coronavirus cases over the past two weeks.
Harrogate and Selby are worst hit by the growth in cases, with parts of Craven and Scarborough also seeing a sharp rise.
Rossendale, Lancs
Rossendale saw restrictions lifted on September but is now once again an are of concern.
The rate of infection there is now 96.5 with 69 new cases in the last week.
ON THE WATCHLIST
These areas have been identified as “areas of concern” by the government due to rising coronavirus cases.
While they are not yet near the lockdown or “intervention” stage, experts are keeping an eye and restrictions could be implemented in the coming weeks.
- Hertsmere, Herts
- Corby
- Wirral
- Middlesborough
- Hartlepool
- Sheffield
- Peterborough
- Northampton
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Great Yarmouth
- Norwich and all of Norfolk
- Swindon
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