These are all the new measures introduced to Lancashire and Greater Manchester to tackle the Delta Covid variant

Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire will be subject to extra measures to tackle a rise in the Delta variant.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a "strengthened package of support" would be provided to boost Covid vaccinations and testing.

The new interventions follow extensive COVID-19 surveillance which has detected a number of cases of the Delta (B1.617.2) variant in these communities.

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Introduction of these additional measures will be led by local authorities, and they come with extra guidance on steps people can take.

Children play in the street as gunners from the Royal Horse Artillery distribute Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to local residents in BoltonChildren play in the street as gunners from the Royal Horse Artillery distribute Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to local residents in Bolton
Children play in the street as gunners from the Royal Horse Artillery distribute Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to local residents in Bolton

Mr Hancock said the package was based on "what's working in Bolton" which saw its infection rates drop after being offered enhanced support.

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"We know that this approach can work, we've seen it work in south London and in Bolton in stopping a rise in the number of cases," he said.

"This is the next stage of tackling the pandemic in Manchester and in Lancashire, and of course it's vital that people in these areas - as everywhere else - come forward and get the jab as soon as they're eligible because that is our way out of this pandemic together."

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The Government have advised, wherever possible, you should try to:

:: Meet outside rather than inside where possible

:: Keep 2 metres apart from people that you don’t live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with

:: Minimise travel in and out of affected areas

You should also:

Get tested twice a week for free and isolate if you are positive

Continue to work from home if you can

Get vaccinated when you are offered it, and encourage others to do so as well

Refer to local health advice for your area (linked above)

You should get tested for COVID-19. This includes:

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Arranging to have a PCR test if you have symptoms of COVID-19Participating in surge testing in your local area

Getting regular rapid lateral flow tests if you do not have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19)

Arranging a testing or managed quarantine package if you plan to travel to red or amber list countries. See further details

You should self-isolate immediately if you have symptoms or a positive test result for COVID-19. There is financial support if you’re off work because of coronavirus.

Support available to local areas will include:

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:: Specialist Surge Rapid Response Teams – these can be deployed to support local authorities with logistics, planning and workforce to support measures such as testing, door-to-door visits to engage with residents and other activities

:: Military support to help local areas with testing, door-to-door community engagement, planning and logistics with decisions made based on local needs, including support from the nationally funded Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA)

:: Supervised in-school testing

:: Wastewater testing samples prioritised for sequencing

:: Specialist communications support to increase awareness and focus engagement with disadvantaged groups

:: Maximising vaccine uptake by expanding existing assets, developing new capacity and increasing local and targeted communications

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:: Supervised in-school testing and discretion to reintroduce face coverings in communal areas in schools if directors of public health decide it is appropriate

:: Surge testing and enhanced contact tracing

:: Enhanced monitoring (genomic sequencing, genotype assay testing)

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