Oldham is teetering on the edge of being put back into a stricter lockdown following a considerable rise in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks. Council leaders have warned that residents in the area must ‘act now’ to avoid being put into a Leicester style lockdown.
Oldham is among several northern local authorities which are currently under tighter restrictions compared with the rest of the country, however most of those regions have managed to reduce their COVID-19 infection rate.
The north-west town is the UK’s new coronavirus hotspot, according to the latest data from the NHS, and last week it narrowly avoided being placed under strict lockdown.
Greater Manchester and surrounding areas had restrictions put in place following a rise in cases.
Residents were banned from meeting others outside their household in their own home or garden, and pubs and restaurants remain open but two households cannot mix indoors.
The restriction extends to cafes, shops, places of worship, community centres, leisure and entertainment venues.
Is Oldham going into lockdown?
Speaking to ITV News, Health Secretary Hancock refused to rule out a full lockdown for the town, which would include a closure of some non-essential businesses.
“No, we don’t rule anything out of that kind, in Oldham or anywhere else in the country,” he said.
Mr Hancock said the Government is “working very closely, day in, day out, with Oldham, which is the area, within Greater Manchester, that’s got the biggest challenge, the biggest problem”.
The council also advises those who were shielding to take extra care when out and about.
The police will be able to take action against those that break the rules, including asking people to disperse and issuing fixed penalty notices.
The Mayor Andy Burnham has stated he does not want the area to have stricter measures put in place: “We are fully aware of the seriousness of the situation that we have.
“I don’t want to see a full lockdown in Oldham. I don’t want to see it anywhere in Greater Manchester.
“It would have very serious consequences and clearly there are steps you can take in advance of something of that kind.
“The household transmission issue is why we have the current regulations that we have and we do need to give them time to work.
“While figures have been worrying this week we must also not kind of overreact, there is a danger of doing that.”
Lockdown rules were further lifted in areas out of lockdown last week, with several sectors given the green light to reopen.
Indoor theatre, music and performance venues are now able to reopen with socially distanced audiences, and close contact beauty therapies are now allowed to resume again.
