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Heath’s secretary, Matt Hancock, is facing the ire of MPs over the failure of the coronavirus tests as he confirms new lockdown restrictions for northeast England.
In a statement from Commons, it will announce a region ban on socializing with people from different households, a 10 p.m. curfew for pubs and restaurants, and travel restrictions.
But Northeast MPs, 22 of whom were briefed on the crackdown by Health Minister Nadine Dorries, say a shortage of testing in the region is to blame for the new restrictions.
Kevan Jones, a Labor MP from North Durham, told Sky News: “It has added to the ridiculous way the government has handled this. The problem in the Northeast needs to be addressed as the numbers rise, but the tests in the Northeast They are a disaster . “
the new blocking rules in the northeast will be implemented in Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, County Durham and Sunderland, following a dramatic increase in infections in the region.
According to Sky News data, the two-week infection rate per 100,000 in the seven local authority areas facing new restrictions is:
- Sunderland: 155.7
- South Tyneside: 155.1
- Gateshead: 139.7
- Newcastle 116.3
- North Tyneside: 85
- Durham County: 70.2
- Northumberland: 47.1
Other restrictions for North East England are likely to include people told not to travel on holiday with other households and sports fans not attending games.
It is also likely that only essential visitors will be able to visit nursing homes and, with the exception of essential travel, the use of public transport and car sharing at peak times will be discouraged.
Ahead of Hancock’s statement, Newcastle City Council Leader Nick Forbes tweeted on Wednesday: “Some additional temporary restrictions are being planned to prevent another total lockdown.
“We are awaiting confirmation from the government on the final version of the regulation; I await an announcement from the health secretary at 11 am.”
The repression of the Northeast comes as the Welsh government puts Rhondda Cynon Taf in South Wales under local lockdown starting at 6pm, after stricter measures were introduced in Birmingham and the West Midlands earlier this week.
And in Bolton, the city with the worst infection rate in the UK, officials say the prime minister should have seen the increased demand for testing coming.
“It’s a really worrying time and we really should have predicted that this would be a time when there would be a surge,” the city’s public health director Donna Hall told Sky News. “For me it is not a question of demand, it is a question of supply and management of the system.”
The head of the government’s testing system, Baroness Harding, a fellow Conservative, will face tough questions about testing Thursday from the committee of deputies for science and technology from all parties, chaired by former Conservative Cabinet Minister Greg Clark.
She will face claims that schools will have to close without further ado coronavirus exams and thousands of teachers are already forced to stay home due to lack of exams.
It was Mr. Clark, when Boris Johnson appeared before the liaison committee of senior deputies, who questioned the prime minister about the coronavirus testability.
He asked the Prime Minister: “Do we currently have sufficient testing capacity available?”
And Johnson responded, “The short answer to that is: no, we don’t. Let’s have no doubt that there has been a massive increase in testing capacity.”
Clark then asked when the capacity would be available and was told, “We’ll be at 500,000 by the end of October.”
And when asked by Mr. Clark if that would be enough to meet the projected demand at the time, the prime minister replied, “Well, we sincerely hope so.”
Then Mr. Johnson was asked about another national blockade and he replied, “I don’t want a second national blockade.
“I think it would be completely wrong for this country and we are going to do everything in our power to prevent it.”
“And can we afford it? I highly doubt that the financial consequences are anything but disastrous.”
