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New powers to deal with Leicester-style local outbreaks of Covid-19 will be available to local authorities from this weekend.
The Prime Minister announced on Friday that local lockdowns can be used to control the coronavirus pandemic in future.
The Government have granted authorities additional powers to respond to flare-ups, which will come into force on Saturday.
Boris Johnson, speaking at a Downing Street press briefing, said: “At the start of the pandemic, we knew far less about the spread of the virus and we had to take blanket national measures.
“National lockdown was undoubtedly the right thing to do and has saved many thousands of lives.
“Now, however, we know more about the virus, we understand the epidemiology better and our intelligence about where it is spreading is vastly improved.
Local lockdown in Leicester during Coronavirus pandemic
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Leicester has seen 866 cases in the past two weeks
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A city council worker carries rubbish from a coronavirus testing centre at Spinney Park which will be incinerated
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Leicester could be the site of the UK’s first local lockdown
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The Government says it is supporting officials in Leicester in their battle against Covid-19
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Members of the military set up a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
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A worker for Leicester City Council disinfects public toilets
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A man cleans the windows of a launderette in Leicester
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A member of military personnel uses a tub to collect used a self-test kit from a member of the public at a COVID-19 drive-through mobile testing unit set up at Evington Leisure Centre in Leicester,
AFP via Getty Images
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Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
PA
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People queue at walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
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A man wearing a protective visor crosses the road on mobility scooter in Leicester
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Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
PA
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People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message
AFP via Getty Images
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Robin Dignall and Maria Demetriou-Clamp disinfect chairs at their hair salon Hair@1RD in Leicester as the city may be the first UK location to be subjected to a local lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases
PA
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A woman wearing a PPE mask walks past social distance advisory singns in Leicester’s North Evington neighbourhood
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People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message
AFP via Getty Images
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Soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corp operate a mobile coronavirus (Covid-19) testing site at Evington Leisure Centre
Getty Images
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A youth cycles past a sign telling local residents to “Social Distance” and advising on how to help “Prevent the Spread” of coronavirus, in the North Evington district of Leicester
AFP via Getty Images
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Gallowtree Gate in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city.
PA
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A man sits on a bench, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester
Reuters
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A worker disinfects a bin following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester,
Reuters
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A worker disinfects a McDonald’s restaurant
Reuters
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A police car on Gallowtree Gate in Leicester
PA
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Shops open their shutters in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city
PA
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AFP via Getty Images
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Reuters
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AFP via Getty Images
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PA
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Leicester has seen 866 cases in the past two weeks
PA
2/31
A city council worker carries rubbish from a coronavirus testing centre at Spinney Park which will be incinerated
Getty Images
3/31
Leicester could be the site of the UK’s first local lockdown
PA
4/31
The Government says it is supporting officials in Leicester in their battle against Covid-19
PA
5/31
Members of the military set up a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
PA
6/31
A worker for Leicester City Council disinfects public toilets
PA
7/31
A man cleans the windows of a launderette in Leicester
PA
8/31
A member of military personnel uses a tub to collect used a self-test kit from a member of the public at a COVID-19 drive-through mobile testing unit set up at Evington Leisure Centre in Leicester,
AFP via Getty Images
9/31
Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
PA
10/31
People queue at walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
PA
11/31
A man wearing a protective visor crosses the road on mobility scooter in Leicester
PA
12/31
Members of the military operate a walk-in mobile Covid-19 testing centre at Spinney Hill Park in Leicester
PA
13/31
People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message
AFP via Getty Images
14/31
Robin Dignall and Maria Demetriou-Clamp disinfect chairs at their hair salon Hair@1RD in Leicester as the city may be the first UK location to be subjected to a local lockdown after a spike in coronavirus cases
PA
15/31
A woman wearing a PPE mask walks past social distance advisory singns in Leicester’s North Evington neighbourhood
Getty Images
16/31
People walk by an electronic billboard displaying a government message
AFP via Getty Images
17/31
Soldiers from the Royal Logistics Corp operate a mobile coronavirus (Covid-19) testing site at Evington Leisure Centre
Getty Images
18/31
A youth cycles past a sign telling local residents to “Social Distance” and advising on how to help “Prevent the Spread” of coronavirus, in the North Evington district of Leicester
AFP via Getty Images
19/31
Gallowtree Gate in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city.
PA
20/31
A man sits on a bench, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester
Reuters
21/31
A worker disinfects a bin following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Leicester,
Reuters
22/31
A worker disinfects a McDonald’s restaurant
Reuters
23/31
A police car on Gallowtree Gate in Leicester
PA
24/31
Shops open their shutters in Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city
PA
25/31
AFP via Getty Images
26/31
Reuters
27/31
PA
28/31
AFP via Getty Images
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Getty Images
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PA
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PA
“That means we can control it through targeted local action instead.”
The measures go beyond the extended lockdown being experienced by Leicester, which was imposed after a wave of cases in the city’s crowded centre.
They will be subject to appeal routes and oversight to guard against misuse, but Mr Johnson was clear that they are necessary.
They include:
- Local stay-at-home orders that will bar people from entering or leaving defined areas without permission.
- Powers to shut down or restrict transport systems, effectively cutting off a town or area where there is an outbreak.
- Special measures to cancel events or shut down individual businesses and venues.
- Means to limit gatherings more severely than national rules.
Boris Johnson said: “From tomorrow, local authorities will have new powers in their areas.
“They will be able to close specific premises, shut public outdoor spaces and cancel events.
“These powers will enable local authorities to act more quickly in response to outbreaks where speed is paramount.
“Action by local councils will not always be sufficient, so next week we will publish draft regulations on how central government can intervene more effectively at a local level.
“Where justified by the evidence, ministers will be able to close whole sectors or types of premises in an area, introduce local stay-at-home orders, prevent people entering or leaving defined areas, reduce the size of gatherings beyond the national defined rules or restrict transport systems serving local areas.”
The Prime Minister said: “This local approach relies on having an effective testing regime in place. And, here, we have made substantial progress.
“Antigen test capacity, that’s the test which tells you if you currently have the virus, has increased 100-fold since the start of March – from fewer than 2,000 tests a day to more than 200,000 tests a day now.”
Mr Johnson also sought to revive the economy by scrapping official guidance to “work from home if you can” from August 1.
The Prime Minister responded to fears that cities including London are being hollowed out by coronavirus by giving more discretion to firms to ask staff to come in, as long as they do so in a safe and “socially responsible” way.
At a press conference, he unveiled the toughest lockdown powers yet, allowing ministers to seal off communities and order people to “stay at home”.