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The lockdown restrictions will be eased in the north of England next week after a decline in coronavirus cases, which means that more than a million people in parts of the region may mix again in different households.
In line with the rest of England, social gatherings can take place between two homes in Bolton, Stockport, Trafford, Burnley and Hyndburn, and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees, starting on Wednesday.
Companies and organizations that include bowling alleys and indoor play areas – which opened elsewhere in England on August 15 – may also open their doors.
The decision was made after local political leaders submitted their recommendations to the government’s Joint Biosafety Center (JBC).
Health Secretary Matt hancock He said: “We are seeing the positive results of our local approach and can incorporate increasingly specific measures.”
“It is vital that we can maintain this good progress.”
He added: “I have every belief that people across the country, especially in areas where we are seeing increased numbers of cases, will continue to play their role by following local rules, isolating themselves and requesting a free test as soon as they receive any symptoms.”
During the week ending August 20, COVID-19 Cases per 100,000 fell in Burnley from 52 to 24.6, in Bolton from 25.6 to 18.9, in Stockport from 23 to 15.1 and in Trafford from 27.1 to 17.8, official data from the Department of Health and Social Assistance.
The easing of restrictions in Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees excludes the Bradford City area, Keighley City area, Halifax, Dewsbury and Batley.
People living in Manchester, Rochdale, Bury, Tameside, Salford, Preston, and Leicester will not yet be able to visit other people in their homes or gardens.
And residents of Oldham and parts of Blackburn with Pendle, where infection rates are the highest in the country, are still prohibited from socializing with outsiders anywhere.
Gary Hall, vice chairman of the Lancashire Resilience Forum, who is leading the county’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, he said: “If we continue down this path, I am hopeful that the remaining restrictions will soon be lifted in all parts of Lancashire, but this is dependent on people following the rules wherever they live in the county.”
However, Trafford’s council leaders told the government that it had eased the restrictions too soon, following the advice of its own director of public health.
Andrew Western, Labor leader of the Trafford Council, said: “It is clear that despite all your claims of working in partnership with local authorities, the government has decided to override the council and lift restrictions at Trafford.
“This government action mocks the claims of locally led decision-making and shows once again that local government is being ignored despite being on the front lines of this crisis.”
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Official government data released on Friday revealed that the UK recorded 1,276 daily confirmed cases of COVID-19, compared to 1,522 the day before.
Thursday’s total was the highest daily count from June 12.
Nine other people have also died from coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the latest range of R numbers for the UK remains the same as last week at 0.9-1.1, indicating that the infection rate is more likely to be fairly stable or growing slightly.
The R number is a measure of how many people on average each infected person transmits the virus.
The latest growth rate for the entire country is between -2% and 1%, the government said, meaning the number of new infections is between a 2% reduction and a 1% increase each day.
