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Reuters
Greater Manchester residents have been told they cannot mix with other households in private homes or gardens
The government has been accused of causing “confusion and distress” with its handling of new lockdown rules.
People living in Greater Manchester and other parts of northern England have been told they cannot mix with other households in private homes or gardens.
Greater Manchester’s mayor and deputy mayor, along with council leaders, raised “concerns” about how the changes were announced by the government.
People in Manchester have described their confusion at the sudden news.
A statement released by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), in partnership with council leaders, said the announcement “has caused confusion and distress for our residents”.
It is “strongly recommended” that in the future “full supporting details should be available to the public at the moment any public or media statement is made”, the GMCA said.
Greater Manchester leaders also claimed they are not convinced that including gardens in the restrictions, which will be reviewed weekly, is “a proportionate measure”.
“We therefore call on the government to provide further evidence or amend the regulations,” a GMCA spokesperson added.
Further support for hospitality businesses that have recently opened as well as those who have been shielding is needed as well, the GMCA said.
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Zoe Patrick
Zoe Patrick said the lockdown would be “difficult” as her childminder is currently away
Millions of people in parts of northern England are subject to the new restrictions, which ban separate households from meeting each other at home, after a spike in Covid-19 cases.
The rules affect people in Greater Manchester, east Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire.
Joyce Brindley, 75, from Marple, is currently shielding and said the measures were “very confusing”.
“We have to obey the rules, but it is particularly devastating for those who are shielding,” she said. “We were supposed to see our grandchildren for the first time since Christmas today.”
Zoe Patrick, 33, from Stockport, said the rules meant she and her husband would find it difficult to look after their son.
“This is now very difficult for us as we did have our son’s grandparents over to help us… but now of course these new rules mean we can’t do that so we will have to struggle on our own.”
Jenny Cooper, 36, from Burnage, has Crohn’s disease so has been shielding since March.
She said: “It’s really important to keep the vulnerable safe, but it does feel very sudden.
“We were on the cusp of freedom. It’s disappointing as many of us feel left behind.”
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Jenny Cooper
Jenny Cooper has been shielding since March and said the measures feel “disappointing”
Saif Al-Islam Chaudhry, 35, who owns an art company, said “it is not a nice feeling for anyone”.
“I think the timing of this may seem dubious to many people.”
Referring to Eid celebrations, he said: “If I understood the new restriction correctly, Muslims can use the existing guidelines to meet in public parks. That is what I am intending to do today.”
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Saif Al-Islam Chaudhry
Saif Al-Islam Chaudhry said he was going to celebrate Eid in a public park
Jason Bailey, 39, owns street food event Grub in Manchester and said “this could be the setback to push us over the edge”.
“Keeping people safe has to be the top priority… It’s just how it’s been done, the timing is awful.
“We’re already wading through queries from people totally confused by the announcements trying to cancel their table reservations, despite the fact we are an outside food market.
“We’ll undoubtedly spend more time and money trying to cope with it all and at the moment we’re only just sustainable as a business running on a reduced capacity.”
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Jason Bailey
Jason Bailey, who owns a street food event, said the timing of the measures is “awful” for business
Analysis
Daniel Wainwright, BBC England Data Unit
Many of the areas subjected to the tighter rules are among those with the highest rates of new infections in the past week.
In Greater Manchester, the only borough to have seen cases come down substantially is Rochdale, but even then it remains one of the areas with the highest new infection rates out of more than 300 local authorities in England.
Oldham’s cases in particular have been surging and the local council sounded the alarm earlier this week.
In the week to 26 July the area recorded 134 cases of coronavirus, up from 44 the week before. This means almost 57 positive tests for every 100,000 people in Oldham that week.
Trafford went from 26 cases to 91, which works out at more than 38 for every 100,000 residents.
While Wigan is much further down the table for new cases, its figures have risen as well.
Bolton has not recorded a rise in the week to 26 July, but provisional data for the week to 28 July suggests it may move slightly up, although these figures are subject to revision as more test results come in.
Manchester City Council said it wanted to take “preventative action early” to avoid a Leicester-style lockdown.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “people should not go to the pub or hospitality venues with people from other households than their own”.
“People should not be indoors with other households because that is how the virus spreads.”
Mr Hancock added people were allowed to meet in “public places such as gardens”.
However, the Conservative MP for Hazel Grove, William Wragg, said to apply the restrictions to all 10 boroughs was “not the right approach”.
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