Coronavirus: Northern areas released from lockdown against local advice see surge in new infections

Two areas of Greater Manchester set to be controversially released from the northern lockdown this week have seen a surge in coronavirus cases, according to new data.

Trafford and Bolton have been at the centre of a political storm since Friday when the government announced they would be among a host of places where restrictions, which have banned different households from mixing at home, would be eased from Wednesday.

In Trafford, Labour council leader Andrew Western — who had asked for the temporary rules to be extended — suggested the government was putting public health at risk to placate local Tory MPs.

In both patches, local officials are said to fear they have not brought infection numbers down enough to avoid a new spike.

Now, data released on Monday appears to show those concerns are well-founded.

Infection rates have spiked by more than 150 per cent in Bolton in the four days up to 28 August and almost doubled in Trafford in the same period.

Bolton has gone from having 17.4 cases per 100,000 to 44.9 cases. Trafford has risen from 21.1 to 35.8. Crucially, officials say there has been a significant surge among over-65s, the age group most vulnerable to coronavirus.

It means, if the government presses ahead with current plans, both areas will have their restrictions eased while in a so-called “amber zone” — the point of contagion at which Public Health England says intervention is necessary.

“We made it clear on Friday we felt this was a reckless decision by the government, and I take no pleasure in saying that view has been vindicated,” Coun Western told The Independent on Tuesday morning. “The only option now is to reverse this and keep [restrictions] in place — although my concern would be how effective that can be given Friday’s announcement. It has been handled appallingly.”

His views were echoed by fellow councillor Jane Slater, cabinet member for health. “Our public director of health has been clear we should not [be coming out of lockdown]. That should have been taken on board,” she said.

On Tuesday afternoon, Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh, a Conservative, also officially asked the government for the restrictions to be kept in place in light of the new data.

Despite both calling for restrictions to now remain in place, it seems unlikely the government — even one increasingly known for U-turns — will change its mind.

Sir Graham Brady, one of Trafford’s three MPs and the chair of the influential 1922 committee of Conservative backbenchers, has said he remains ”unpersuaded” by the council’s request for an extension.

The northern lockdown, which placed restrictions on 4 million people in Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire and large chunks of West Yorkshire, was initially announced on 30 July. It stopped different households mixing at home and prevented some close contact certain businesses from opening.

On Friday, a million of those people — including in Stockport; much of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees in West Yorkshire; and Burnley — were told they would be released from the measures from Wednesday.

The announcement itself was delayed by six hours amid the ongoing disputes between government and local leaders.

The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment.