Rochdale becomes latest town in North West to bring in extra Covid measures
Rochdale Council has become the third town in the North West to introduce extra coronavirus precautions to avoid a local lockdown.
The borough follows Blackburn with Darwen and Pendle in "strongly advising" people to limit the number of visitors to their home to two and to wear a face mask in shops immediately.
Other measures include:
Wear face coverings in public as much as possible.
Keep 2 metres apart at all times.
Avoid physical contact with anyone outside your own household, including shaking hands or hugging.
Get tested and isolate if you are told to do so.
The measures are effective from today and the council have said they will review them in two weeks time.
From 29 June 2020 - 12 July 2020, Rochdale had the fourth-highest rate of cases per 100,000 population in England.
Figures released on Thursday showed the number of new Covid-19 cases in Rochdale for the seven days to July 13 was 30 per 100,000 population - a drop from 35.9 in the seven days to July 6.
Although cases are not as high as in Leicester, where a local lockdown has been introduced, authorities have said that cases are not falling high enough.
The council's director of public health, Andrea Fallon, said: "The fight against coronavirus is not over. Although lockdown measures are being relaxed across the country, we can see from our local data that we need to remain vigilant to the threat posed by the disease.
"We have increased testing and that has shown us that we need to take action and ask everyone to help keep our infection rate down."
Council leader Allen Brett said: "All of us need to do whatever we can to keep the virus under control. Although we are a long way from the Leicester situation, we cannot be complacent and it is vital that everyone does what they can to keep this virus under control."
Residents can book a coronavirus test by calling the free phone number 0808 1964 100 to book an appointment or by visiting the NHS website.
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