Coronavirus news: Should Boris introduce regional lockdowns? POLL CLOSED
CORONAVIRUS infections are far higher in certain regions, particularly north west England and south west England, than others. Should Boris Johnson introduce regional lockdowns to curb the infection rates in those areas? Vote in Express.co.uk's latest poll below.
Dominic Raab confirms UK could impose regional lockdowns
Cheshire is one of the areas in the north west of England which could see a second COVID-19 lockdown as the R number continues to rise. Government ministers want the reproductive rate of infection, known as the R rate, under 1. This comes as the UK has recorded more than 40,000 deaths from COVID-19.
The R figure is the number of people each infected person passes the virus onto.
Using data from the number of people dying, going to hospital or testing positive for the virus, allows Governments to understand the R rate.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the Government would spot and “crack down on localised outbreaks when they come”.
Mr Hancock said: “There is a challenge in the north-west of England to address, and to a lesser degree in the south-west of England.
“Both the north-west and the south-west are big areas themselves, and we need to get more granular and more focused and find the source of the local outbreak and then deal with it."
Ministers have warned they could move towards “local lockdowns” and use tracking and tracing if the spread increases again.
A report by Public Health England and Cambridge University estimated the ‘R’ rate has risen in all regions and could be above one in the North West and South West of the country.
There are also calls for Scotland to impose regional lockdowns, particularly due to the huge variations in the country of cases.
SEE MORE: Appliance of science goes AWOL, says JUDY FINNIGAN
The Scottish government has not ruled out a “regionally varied approach” but is not proposing it yet.
Mr Hancock has announced all hospital workers would be required to wear surgical face masks from June 15.
DON'T MISS:
Wave goodbye to lockdown woe, says RICHARD MADELEY [REVIEW]
Experts discuss the impact of ten week Covid-19 lockdown on education [VIDEO]
Can you beat the challenge set by Express.co.uk reporters? [COMMENT]
Chancellor Angela Merkel also implemented localised lockdowns in Germany depending on the R infection rate.
The federal states have taken on the responsibility of their own lockdowns depending on the R rate.
The states which see 50 cases of COVI-19 for 100,000 people are asked to reimpose their social distancing measures.