Local lockdown

We are frequently reminded of polls that show the majority of Brits supporting lockdown measures. In fact, often the public wants the government to go further than it has done. Local officials tend to reflect this sentiment. Mayors of two of the UK’s largest cities — London’s Sadiq Khan and Manchester’s Andy Burnham — have repeatedly accused the government of not going far enough with its Covid restrictions. But are attitudes starting to shift? While there’s little data available about the public’s adherence to Covid rules, some evidence is starting to build. A comprehensive study from UCL and Kings College London found that only a fraction of people who said they would self-isolate if

In an effort to avoid another national lockdown at all costs, the government is relying on two tools: a comprehensive track-and-trace scheme and localised lockdowns. The first isn’t expected to be up and running until autumn at the earliest, after a series of setbacks and U-turns (the pains of which are already being felt, as infection rates have started to creep up). The second is arguably in full swing, as East Lancashire, Greater Manchester and parts of West Yorkshire join Leicester in having specific rules and restrictions imposed, due to fears of a rising R-number. But are these really local lockdowns, or regional ones? The restrictions that came in at