Stricter curbs in Bolton as infection rates surge
YOUNG PEOPLE WARNED AGAINST COMPLACENCY WITH BOROUGHS ON ‘RED ALERT’
STRONGER measures were brought in to tackle the rise of Covid-19 infections in Bolton as five boroughs in Greater Manchester were placed on ‘red alert’ on Monday (7), following the largest daily increase in coronavirus cases in the UK since April.
Ministers have urged the public to get serious again about preventative measures as the virus spreads.
In Bolton, current guidance on restricting people from socialising outside their household was brought in on Tuesday (8). Other measures included restricting hospitality for food and drink outlets to takeaway only and venues required to close between 10 pm and 5 am.
Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock told the Commons: “Unfortunately, after improving for several weeks, we have seen a very significant and concerning rise in cases in Bolton.
“Bolton is now up to 120 cases per 100,000, the highest case rate in the country. Working with the local council, we are taking further local action.
“I want to say directly to everyone living in Bolton: I know how anxious this can be and I know the impact that these measures will have but we need to take this crucial step to keep this virus at bay.”
New restrictions in Bolton were imposed last Saturday (5), with residents being told they should not mix with people from other households and only use public transport for essential travel.
According to data, more than 90 per cent of cases in Bolton are people aged between 18 and 49 years old.
Figures over the last seven-day period showed Bolton recorded 120 cases per 100,000 people, up from 98.8 per 100,000 over the weekend. The rise in cases was partly due to socialising by people in their 20s and 30s, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Bolton council leader David Greenhalgh urged residents to “play their part”.
“Nobody wants these restrictions to remain a moment longer than necessary. We believe these new measures will keep everyone safe and help avoid a full lockdown in Bolton,” Greenhalgh said.
“Alongside a range of additional measures and interventions across Bolton, we are asking everyone, particularly the younger age groups, to continue to follow the guidelines.”
Labour’s Bolton South East MP Yasmin Qureshi said many residents had contacted her with concerns regarding the continuing lockdown. She said she had written to the health secretary asking him to “improve what has been very poor communication” and to delegate more powers locally.
Oldham, Salford, and Tameside are also on red alert, where 59.9, 58 and 50.3 cases per 100,000 people were recorded.
In an opinion piece last Saturday, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the north “urgently needed a new, proactive and preventive” approach to managing the virus so it can escape the “damaging effects of blanket restrictions and lockdowns”.
Rochdale is apparently also on the brink of being put on ‘red alert’ with an infection rate of 49.5 per 100,000 people for the week ending September 3.
However, council leader Allen Brett alleged the number of coronavirus cases among Rochdale’s white population is now overtaking those in the ethnic minority community. Brett believes this is due to more tests being done across the borough, whereas an original emphasis were focused on central areas “where the BAME population is concentrated”.
The latest warnings come after the health secretary said the rise in cases was “concerning” as it emerged that almost 3,000 new coronavirus infections were reported across the UK last Sunday (6). It is the highest daily rise since May.
Hancock urged the “whole country” to follow rules relating to social distancing, saying that young people who were too complacent about social distancing could endanger older relatives.
“Don’t kill your gran by catching coronavirus and then passing it on,” he told a BBC radio programme aimed at younger audiences on Monday.
Meanwhile, a leaked document last Saturday revealed coronavirus could “be endemic in deprived parts of England”.
According to analysis by Public Health England (PHE), which relates specifically to north-west England, there are links between the highest rates of Covid-19 and issues of deprivation, poor and crowded accommodation and ethnicity.
Reported by the Observer, the document has suggested the national lockdown in parts of northern England had little effect in reducing the level of infections. It is also said to have warned the rate of infection is now firmly established in some communities.