As of 00.01am this morning, Stockport has been released from additional local restrictions affecting all boroughs of Greater Manchester and as announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock on 31st July.
Latest figures show that Stockport has the lowest rate of infection across the city-region at just 7.8 per 100,000 people. However, anyone with any symptoms must isolate immediately and get a test for free by going online or ringing 119. Everyone must continue to socially distance and regularly their wash hands to ensure infection rates in the borough remain low.
In Greater Manchester, Stockport joins Wigan which was released from local lockdown on the 26th August, as well as Burnley and Hyndburn in Lancashire, and parts of Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees in West Yorkshire.
From today, Stockport’s 287,000 households will be able to meet with other households, previously outside their own bubble, in their homes and gardens as well as meet with them in public areas such as pubs, so long as social distancing guidance is followed.
Today’s lifting of local measures is also good news for beauty parlours and clinics who can once again provide one-on-one facial treatments, including eye brow tinting, waxing, shaping and tattooing and facial skin treatments. The changes bring Stockport back in line with the restrictions in the rest of the UK, and also permits weddings with a maximum of 30 guests, however they should not travel from other parts of the UK where enhanced restrictions apply.
Despite being removed from local restrictions today, Bolton has now overtaken Oldham as the coronavirus hotspot in Greater Manchester, with cases also rising once again in Trafford. Speaking on BBC Radio 4 this morning, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has urged residents in these boroughs to continue to follow the previous restrictions, with local authorities having warned against relaxing guidance in these areas.
This interactive map shows the number of UK cases at neighbourhood level over the last seven days, using ONS data.
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