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Matt Hancock has confirmed that Slough, Stoke-on-Trent and Coventry will be placed at the second highest level of Covid restrictions.
The new restrictions, which will mean that people cannot visit people from a separate bubble inside, will take effect on Saturday.
The Health Secretary also confirmed that talks had begun with the heads of the council in Warrington to move to the highest level as cases continue to rise dangerously.
He told Commons: “Unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in infection rates in Stoke-on-Trent, in Coventry and in Slough.
“In all these areas, there are more than 100 positive cases for every 100,000 people. Cases are doubling every fortnight and we are seeing a worrying increase in cases among those over 60.
“So we have agreed in partnership with local leaders to move these areas to the high local alert level, which will take effect one minute after midnight on Saturday.
(Image: Getty)
“The central change is that people now cannot meet other homes socially on the inside. This applies in any environment, at home or in a restaurant or anywhere else.
“The rule of six still applies to any outdoor setting, and while you can continue to travel outdoors, you should reduce the number of trips whenever possible.”
On the increase in cases in Warrington, he said: “We are also formally beginning discussions with Warrington about going to the very high alert level due to the continued increase in cases there.”
Mr. Hancock added: “I hope that with everyone supporting these measures and taking the necessary actions, we can keep these restrictions in place for the shortest time possible.
“But I am absolutely convinced that we need to move forward and what I have announced today is that we will formally start the talks and I hope that we can reach an agreement and a resolution soon.”
It came when the Chancellor announced more financial support for submerged areas at Level 2.
It will make the employment support scheme in the affected areas more generous for businesses, but less generous for the most affected workers, and some will face a cut in their take-home pay compared to the previous scheme.
And the success of these tighter closures was not yet clear.
And their success was put at greater risk after another week of poor performance from the NHS Test and Trace system that continues to decline, with only one in seven people being tested at a center and getting their result within 24 hours.
Hancock said: “I reject the false option that says we must choose a side and choose between a healthy economy and a healthy nation, because the two are intrinsically linked.
“If, God forbid, we allowed the virus to unleash its full force, then the damage not only to the NHS – and hundreds of thousands of lives – but also to our livelihoods would be catastrophic.”
On Covid Long, Mr. Hancock said: “We have already seen a worrying number of young, healthy and fit people suffering from debilitating symptoms months after contracting Covid.
“Yesterday, a study from King’s College London showed that one in 20 people with coronavirus is likely to have virus symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle pain and neurological problems for eight weeks or more.”
He also told MPs that the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Manchester is ready to start receiving patients.
(Image: Darren Quinton / Coventry Telegraph)
New weekly data from the Test and Trace program shows that 15.1% of people who were tested for Covid-19 in England in the week ending October 14 at a regional site, a local site or a mobile test unit, known as in-person testing. – received your result within 24 hours.
This is down from 32.8% in the previous week and is the lowest weekly percentage since testing and follow-up began.
The figures also show a drop to 59.6% in the proportion of close contacts of people who tested positive who were reached.
This is the lowest weekly percentage since Test and Trace began and is down from 63% the previous week.
The Stoke-on-Trent council had asked the Health Secretary to place the city under tougher Level 2 restrictions amid rising Covid infections.
City council leader Abi Brown said that by calling for stricter measures for high-risk areas and not “wavering for a week,” she hoped to stop infections and prevent a “further escalation” to Level 3 controls.
The city of 250,000 is currently in the Tier 1 or medium risk category, but if Matt Hancock grants his request, indoor domestic mixing would be banned, with a 10 p.m. curfew in pubs and restaurants.
The latest figures from NHS Digital showed that the number of new cases in the city rose to 210 per 100,000 in the week ending October 19.
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