Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire are to become enhanced Covid areas but the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said that it was important to put the measures into context and this is not a local lockdown or a travel ban
The areas will get extra support with deploying testing, vaccines and focused engagement in COVID-19 hotspots.
Matt Hancock told the Commons that he is encouraging everyone in the area to “get the tests on offer”.
“I can tell the House that today working with local authorities, we are providing a strengthened package of support based on what’s working in Bolton, to help Greater Manchester and Lancashire tackle the rise in the Delta variant that we’re seeing there.” he said
As with Bolton in the past few weeks, there is guidance to minimise travel in and out of the area as well as advice to meet outside instead of inside and to keep two metres apart from people that are not in your bubble.
Positive test figures across the region have doubled in the last couple of weeks although it was from a low base.
Other measures may include a reintroduction of the school mask-wearing rule, and spot checks in workplaces as well as army support.
Speaking at the Greater Manchester Covid press conference Andy Burnham reiterated that this is not a lockdown
“ It is important to keep measures announced today in proportion ….This is not a lockdown, people can go about living their lives.”
He added that the region wanted to run a surge vaccination programme over the next three weeks especially in areas where the uptake has been lower and asked the Government to allow the region to go further and faster asking them to a.
“bringing forward” of supplies of vaccines to the region to allow clinicians to accelerate the delivery of the jab.”
Sir Richard Leese hopes that we will be able to bring down the prevalence of Covid across the region and that they won’t reach the levels of Bolton
