‘DON’T RAMP UP CURBS IN NORTH’
Cases rise, but city leaders tell ministers to show restraint
THe leaders of four northern cities last night pleaded with ministers not to impose draconian lockdown-style measures as the region teetered on the brink of new restrictions.
fresh speculation about further government action intensified yesterday as the UK reported 14,542 new coronavirus cases – an increase of almost 2,000 on the previous 24 hours. figures also showed a rise in hospitalisations to the highest daily total in four months.
But the surge in cases has been particularly acute across major cities in the north and Midlands, with Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, newcastle and nottingham all recording big increases – driven in part by the return of university students.
Plans are being finalised for a new threetier system to tackle local outbreaks that could see pubs, restaurants and cinemas shut in parts of england.
These were expected to be unveiled next week but could be brought forward to the end of this week if current trends continue. Officials have also refused to rule out further national measures.
In a sign of an imminent clampdown, Chancellor rishi Sunak was last night reported to be drawing up plans for new Treasury support for businesses affected by new local lockdown restrictions. This could be a new support package for those forced to close.
However, yesterday the leaders of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and newcastle issued a last-minute plea for ministers to think carefully about new lockdown measures.
In a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, the four said they were ‘extremely concerned about the sharp increase’ in new coronavirus cases in their areas. But they warned that they did not support further economic lockdowns and urged him to hand over powers to regional leaders rather than imposing restrictions from Whitehall.
Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson, Manchester City Council leader Sir richard Leese and newcastle City Council leader nick forbes wrote: ‘The existing restrictions are not working, confusing for the public and some, like the 10pm rule, are counterproductive. Instead, local measures, developed jointly across police, council enforcement and public health services, should be deployed to address rising infection rates based on local knowledge.’
Officials are also expecting nottingham to be placed in lockdown after a surge in cases. The city’s infection rate has soared, with 1,273 new cases recorded in the seven days to October 2 – the equivalent of 382 cases per 100,000. This is up from 59 per 100,000 in the seven days to September 25.
The director of public health for nottingham, Alison Challenger, said current restrictions ‘are no longer enough to stop the spread of the virus’. Other areas with high rates are Knowsley and Liverpool, while newcastle upon Tyne, Sheffield and Leeds have recorded large jumps in their infection rate over the past seven days.
Yesterday, some experts called for tougher restrictions. Chris Hopson, head of the hospitals’ group NHS Providers, urged Boris Johnson to be willing to ‘adopt appropriately tough local lockdown measures wherever the virus is spreading in a way that could jeopardise the NHS’s ability to cope’.
Sir Jeremy farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust, tweeted: ‘ Community transmission increasing. number of people needing hospitalisation increasing. Tragically, more people dying. Options for interventions might be debated but data is clear.’
‘Extremely concerned’