TWELVE areas in the North East have been branded as Covid hotspots with additional measures reintroduced to stop the spread of the virus.
The Department of Health says the decision is based on the latest data from the area which is currently reporting 2,212 cases each day.
Residents in areas across Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and County Durham, and in the Tees Valley will be urged to continue to wear face coverings in crowded areas.
They will also be asked to meet outdoors where possible; let fresh air into homes or other enclosed spaces, and consider minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
The announcement in the North East comes as it was earlier this week revealed that 11 areas across England would also be receiving additional support.
The majority of these places were in the North West of England, which is currently the region with the highest number of Covid cases in the country, with 4,172 people testing positive each day.
Despite high case numbers the Department of Health has said that extra help will be scaled back from those areas.
These packaged have been in place across Bedford and the North West for between six to eight weeks.
The Department of Health said there has been a "great deal of exceptional work locally to drive up testing and vaccine uptake".
It said the government will continue to work closely with these areas.
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The North East areas where extra measures will be rolled out
Here’s the list of the areas in the North East that qualify for extra measures
- Durham
- Gateshead
- South Tyneside
- Sunderland
- Newcastle Upon Tyne
- North Tyneside
- Northumberland
- Darlington
- Hartlepool
- Middlesborough
- Redcar & Cleveland
- Stockton on Tees
There are two areas outside the North East that will continue to receive extra support, Brighton and Oxford.
The latest data shows that millions of Brits have now had a first and second dose of a Covid jab.
Public Health Minister Jo Churchill urged people to continue to get their vaccine.
She said: “As the data changes it is vital that our public health response continues to change with it.
“By working in lockstep with local authorities and directors of public health, this additional support should help turn the tide on these growing case numbers and extend the wall of protection that vaccines is creating across the country.
“We all have a part to play in the continued fight against this virus and our message is a clear one: the best thing we can all do to protect ourselves and our loved ones is getting jabbed. If you haven’t had your first or second doses, I’d urge you to book your vaccination at the first opportunity.”
It comes after Public Health England today announced that is a new variant under investigation.
Experts are currently carrying out analysis of B.1.621 and have confirmed 16 cases of the variant.
There is no evidence to suggest that the strain causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines any less effective.
Where cases of the new variant have been detected, health officials have followed up and tested contacts.
If necessary PHE will deploy surge testing to limit the spread.
It has also been found in Colombia (325 sequenced cases), the US (264) and Spain (196), among a number of other countries.
PHE also said cases of the Delta variant have risen by 33,716 since last week, to a total of 286,765.
The variant now make up 99 per cent of all cases in the UK and PHE have urged Brits to continue to get their jabs.
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