Local lockdowns: Preston, Burnley, Blackburn and Wigan among the council areas in Lancashire and the North West most likely to be hit by tier system as the Indian variant threatens Covid roadmap
Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Environment Secretary George Eustice have both said in recent days that a return to a tiered system of restrictions remains an option when the national lockdown is lifted in June.
This comes as areas across the North West including, Blackburn and Darwen, Burnley, Bolton and Manchester have all seen a sustained surge in new cases of Covid, including the Indian variant.
Last year Government ministers made decisions around local restrictions using the following criteria:
- the rate of Covid cases per 100,000 people
- the rate of increase
- the prevalence among people aged 60 and over
- the positivity rate – which is the proportion of tests that come back positive (National average 0.7 as of May 20).
- pressure on the NHS
Based on last year's local lockdown criteria (with the exception of 'pressure on the NHS'), our data experts have identified the top 20 council areas currently at risk areas across the country, nine of which are in the North West.
Below are the council areas across Lancashire and the North West currently most at risk of local lockdown:
1. Bolton
In Bolton the current rate of infection is 321 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 98.9% in the last seven day. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 76.8, while the positivity rate is 7.4.
2. Blackburn with Darwen
In Blackburn with Darwen the current rate of infection is 145 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 50.7% in the last seven day. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 61.2, while the positivity rate is 5.3.
3. Burnley
In Burnley the current rate of infection is 61.9 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 150.6% in the last seven day. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 13.7, while the positivity rate is 2.1.
4. Bury
In Bury the current rate of infection is 38.2 per 100,000 people, with cases increasing at a rate of 96.9% in the last seven day. The case rate among the over 60s is currently 8.8, while the positivity rate is 1.7.