What coronavirus restrictions are in place and which areas of the UK are at risk of lockdown?

Although the vast majority of the UK has now emerged from lockdown, there are parts of England and Scotland that are continuing to observe strict coronavirus restrictions amid heightened infection rates.

From Leicester, the first city to be placed back into lockdown, to Blackburn and Aberdeen, pockets of the UK have been forced to take drastic action as authorities attempt to tackle localised surges in cases.

The “whack-a-mole” strategy, as prime minister Boris Johnson put it, has proven relatively successful to date. In the case of Leicester, the infection rate has slowly fallen over the past six weeks – yet such an approach has taken its toll on the city’s wellbeing and economy.

Following the nationwide easing of restrictions, health officials are now reporting an uptick in cases across the UK, raising the prospect of more localised lockdowns.

So which areas are at risk? What regions are already back in lockdown? And what are the current rules in place?

Oldham

Total cases: 2,660

Rate per 100,000 population: 1,121.8

What’s the latest?

The threat of lockdown looms large over the Greater Manchester town, with health secretary Matt Hancock warning that the government “will do what is necessary” if the situation escalates.

Figures for the seven days to 15 August show the town had a rate of 83.1 new cases per 100,000, down from 109.7 in the seven days to 8 August, with 197 new cases.

Labour councillor Sean Fielding has urged ministers not to impose stricter measures across the town, even though “raw numbers” are similar to those in Leicester when it was put into lockdown.

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