GMB guests clash over whether young people need COVID-19 jab

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

A “strengthened package of support” will be provided for Greater Manchester and Lancashire to tackle a rise in the Delta variant of coronavirus, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said. He announced military support to help areas in the North West with testing, supervised in-school testing and greater communication with disadvantaged groups.

Local directors of public health will also be able to reintroduce face coverings in communal areas in schools if they want to.

Mr Hancock said: “I can tell the House that today, working with local authorities, we are providing a strengthened package of support based on what’s happening in Bolton to help Greater Manchester and Lancashire tackle the rise in the Delta variant that we are seeing there.

“This includes rapid response teams, putting in extra testing, military support and supervised in-school testing.

“I want to encourage everyone in Manchester and Lancashire to get the tests on offer.

“We know that this approach can work, we’ve seen it work in south London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases.

“This is the next stage of tackling the pandemic in Manchester and Lancashire and of course it’s vital that people in these areas, as everywhere else, come forward and get the jab as soon as they are eligible because that is our way out of this pandemic together.”

According to Public Health England, in the week to June 2, 278 people with the Delta variant attended hospital and 94 people were admitted to hospital overnight.

The previous week 201 people with the variant attended A&E and 43 were admitted.

Most of those who have been admitted have not been vaccinated.

Lancashire has recorded 532 new cases of Covid in the last 24 hours, according to the latest data from Public Health England.

In and around Manchester, rates remain high week on week.

Bolton currently has the second highest rate in England, with 319.6 cases per 100,000 people in the week ending June 3.

Salford, which has a rate of 212.1 is seventh on the list, with Manchester not far behind in eight with a rate of 208.4.

DON’T MISS
Matt Hancock insists freedom will ‘soon return’ [REPORT]
Thousands flood NHS to book Covid-19 vaccines, but some are rejected [INSIGHT]
Covid hotspots MAPPED: Three quarters of areas see rise in cases [ANALYSIS]

Genomic sequencing data from the Wellcome Sanger Institute has shown just far Delta has spread across parts of the north west of England, currently the worst affected area in the UK.

All of Carlisle’s cases of the virus are now due to the Delta variant, whereas Blackburn with Darwen’s cases stand at 95.8 percent of all cases.

West Lancashire also 100 percent of cases down to the variant, while Bolton is similarly high with 92.5 percent.

The Wirrall has recorded 96.2 percent of cases from the strain, with Rossendale reporting 94.2 percent of cases as being of the Delta variant.

Those in the worst affected areas are being urged to step forward for their vaccines if they are eligible.

Denise Park, chairwoman of the Lancashire Resilience Forum’s Recovery Co-ordination Group, said: “We are seeing worrying increases in the virus in parts of Lancashire and we have all got a part to play to control the spread.”

She added: “We are getting enhanced support from Government to ramp up testing and offering the vaccine in more convenient locations in coronavirus hotspots.

“Please take advantage of this extra support so we can turn the tide against this latest wave of infections.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel, but one thing Covid has taught us is that we can never count it out – and we must all work together as we have done throughout the pandemic to keep our communities safe.”

Source: Read Full Article