[ad_1]
Tighter restrictions expected for parts of north-east England from Friday
The North East appears set to become the latest area in England to come under greater restrictions amid growing concern over rising Covid-19 infections.
Writing on Twitter, the leader of Newcastle city council Nick Forbes said “additional, temporary” measures are being planned to avoid another full lockdown in the region.
Reports suggest 22 MPs were briefed by the UK health minister Nadine Dorries earlier on Wednesday. Forbes said he expected the UK health and social care secretary Matt Hancock to make an announcement on Thursday morning.
Chronicle Live reported that measures are expected to include a 10pm curfew on pubs, restaurants and other licensed premises, and that people will be banned from socialising with anyone outside their own household, whether indoors or outdoors.
It also reported care home visits will be restricted to essential visitors, and people will be advised to avoid public transport at peak times except for essential journeys, and to avoid car-shares.
Chronicle Live understands the plan is for measures to come into force just after midnight on Friday.
The restrictions will reportedly apply to Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, County Durham and Sunderland – which have all seen rises in cases, according to the latest weekly figures.
The most recent numbers show Newcastle has recorded a sharp increase in its weekly rate, up from 51.2 to 64.1, with 194 new cases in the seven days to 13 September.
It comes after local measures in the likes of Greater Manchester and Birmingham have been put in place in an effort to stem rising infection rates.
Updated
[ad_2]
Source link