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Boris Johnson confirms lockdown will not end on June 21

The Prime Minister held a press conference on June 14 to confirm there would be a delay to ending COVID restrictions in England.

The Manc The Manc - 14th June 2021

England’s lockdown exit has officially been delayed – with Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirming that national COVID measures will remain in place for at least an extra four weeks beyond June 21.

The government has made the decision to defer the final roadmap step due to rising infections across the country – with the average number of daily coronavirus cases at their highest rates since March.

Reports on Monday (June 14) revealed the PM was poised to delay unlocking – which he confirmed at an evening press conference hosted alongside Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.

The PM said the decision was made so the NHS had extra time to “give crucial jabs into the arms who need them.”

“I think it’s sensible to wait just a little longer,” he added.

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“Now is the time to ease off the accelerator. By being cautious now we have the chance to save lives.”

The new prospective date for England exiting lockdown is now July 19.

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Until then, capacity limits in venues from pubs and restaurants to stadiums will continue – whilst nighttime businesses must stay closed.

Weddings and wakes, however, can once again proceed with more than 30 people – provided social distancing is adhered to.

https://twitter.com/PoliticsForAlI/status/1404486659954122752?s=20

A one-month delay to lifting remaining lockdown measures would apparently allow another 10 million second vaccine doses to be administered across the UK and build up further immunity in the population – with all adults over the age of 25 now eligible for jabs.

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A more infectious ‘Delta’ variant has caused cases to rise sharply once again in Britain – with Greater Manchester suffering some of the highest rates so far.

An enhanced support package has since been rolled out across all ten boroughs in a bid to bring down infection rates.

Additional response teams, extra testing, military assistance and supervised in-school testing are all being introduced in the region.

News

Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre

Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.

The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.

Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.

A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.

Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.

It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.

Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.

As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.

Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.

The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.

Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.  

Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.

The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.

Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.

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“Help us be a lifeline to organisations on the frontline,” Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity urged in it’s public appeal for donations.

You can help make sure ‘A Bed Every Night’ is a reality for all by donating here.

Featured Image – EthelRedThePetrolHead (via Flickr)

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