[ad_1]
Council leaders in Liverpool have called for a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of new virus cases, driven by the new variant, has reached “alarming levels” and urgent action is required to save lives and the NHS, according to the city’s acting mayor, Councilor Wendy Simon, and the cabinet of the municipal council of labor.
The new variant is more transmissible and, while it is more prevalent in London and the South East, it is spreading rapidly throughout the rest of the country.
Cases in Liverpool have nearly tripled in the past two weeks to 350 per 100,000, despite a successful community test pilot that saw the city go from Level 3 to Level 2 in early winter.
The call for a new shutdown was made in a statement from the city council, Cllr Simon and Cabinet member of Public Health Cllr Paul Brant.
His statement read: “The stark reality is that today this new virulent strain of the virus is on the rise and we must act now to prevent a crisis that will unleash even more pain and anguish.”
“We need the government to listen to those who are on the front line, both in our hospitals and in front line services.
“We as a nation can deal with a lockdown. We’ve done it before and we can do it again. The faster we move to one now, the more lives will be saved and the faster the recovery.
“Yes, there will be pain for our retail and hospitality sectors, but they want long-term security and a strong recovery, and the lockdown provides both.
“An additional package of social assistance and financial support will also be needed, especially to protect the most vulnerable.”
They added: “We are going to get ahead and act now. We all know very well the serious consequences and costs if we don’t, particularly for the most vulnerable in our communities.”
“Millions of Britons have made a lot of sacrifices in the last 10 months and none of us want those efforts to go to waste. Much has been done to limit the virus, but we can only do so much as individuals.
“The country is currently facing a catastrophe that will undo much of what has been achieved if we do not act as such.”
A government spokeswoman said: “We strengthened our measures by introducing Level 4 two weeks ago, based on the advice of Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) and it is vital that everyone follows the rules to reduce transmission in their areas, save lives. and protect our NHS.
“We keep the spread of COVID-19 under constant review based on the latest medical and scientific data and we have been clear that we will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to protect local communities.”
