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Lancashire residents are impacted by the shocking announcement made late on Thursday night by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. The new local lockdown rules come nearly four weeks after restrictions were eased across England, allowing people to meet indoors for the first time since late March. But why are these lockdown measures being reintroduced in Lancashire?

Separate households in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire have been banned from meeting one another indoors after a spike in coronavirus cases.

Mr Hancock announced the measures were being taken in a bid to curtail rising coronavirus cases which is “largely due” to people not observing social distancing.

The Government acknowledged the measures would “come as a blow” to Muslim communities preparing to celebrate Eid this weekend, although places of worship remain open subject to social distancing rules.

More than four million residents across northern England will be impacted by the tightening of restrictions.

The news comes after the UK saw its highest daily total of coronavirus cases for more than a month.

In total, Public Health England data reported an increase of 846 new cases on Thursday of which 38 died.

According to the latest data, there have been a total of 302,301 cases of COVID-19 in the UK.

Out of the 19 local authority areas affected, the rate of COVID-19 in the seven days to July 27 has gone up in 13 of them, with 1,536 cases recorded in the space of a week.

The following regions are included in the new lockdown restrictions:

• Pendle
• Hyndburn
• Burnley
• Rossendale
• Blackburn with Darwen
• Greater Manchester
• Bradford
• Calderdale
• Kirklees
• Leicester City.

The new rules mean people in East Lancashire will be banned from mixing with other households in private homes and gardens.

People in the affected areas can only go to pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues with other members of their household.

From Monday in Leicester, restaurants, cafes, bars and hairdressers can open but leisure centres, gyms and pools will remain closed.

Cinemas and museums will also be able to open in Leicester from Monday and religious ceremonies will be able to take place.

The borough of Oadby and Wigston on the outskirts of Leicester is taken out of local lockdown.

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Some exemptions will be put in place, including for the vulnerable.

Those in support bubbles are exempt from these rules.

The regulations will enable local authorities and police forces to enforce these restrictions.

Households may enjoy hospitality businesses such as bars and pubs, but the new guidance outlines different households are banned from enjoying this hospitality together.

Why have these measures been introduced?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Britons the virus was “bubbling up” in up to 30 areas across the UK after he spoke of a “second wave” of the virus spreading across European countries.

Mr Johnson said levels of COVID-19 are “going down” in Leicester,- but Britons have to be wary of a “really damaging second wave”.

According to the latest data from NHS Digital, the areas with the highest case rates per 100,000 is Blackburn with Darwen at 85.3 cases.

Restrictions currently in place in Blackburn which saw indoor swimming pools, indoor fitness and dance studios, indoor gyms and sports facilities remaining closed will continue.

Blackburn is followed by:

• Leicester: 57.7 cases
• Oldham: 53.1 cases
• Bradford: 44.9 cases
• Trafford: 39.3 cases
• Calderdale: 32.4
• Rochdale: 30.9
• Sandwell: 27.5.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “We’re constantly looking at the latest data on the spread of coronavirus, and unfortunately we’ve seen an increasing rate of transmission in parts of Northern England.

“We’ve been working with local leaders across the region, and today I chaired a meeting of the Local Action Gold Committee.

“Based on the data, we decided that in Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire and East Lancashire we need to take immediate action to keep people safe.

“The spread is largely due to households meeting and not abiding to social distancing.

“So from midnight tonight, people from different households will not be allowed to meet each other indoors in these areas.

“We take this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of coronavirus across Europe and are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe.”

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