A local lockdown has been enforced in Leicester this week, and more could be announced as the government has drawn up a list of 36 'at risk' areas.

Dr Ed Hill is an expert on the control of infectious diseases from Warwick's Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology & Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER).

He comments:

"Each local situation is different and requires a locally targeted approach. It is important that comprehensive and reliable information is available to those managing new cases at a local level, to ensure local health authorities have the ability to look for patterns and clusters developing.

"Shutdowns at a local or regional level will be most effective when extensive local testing and tracing practices are in place. Rapidly identifying new cases and putting in local measures to reduce face-to-face interactions will help interrupt chains of transmission.

"Local resurgences of cases are likely as lockdown measures are relaxed. It is important that the local authorities are involved in the process of deciding whether there should be a local lockdown.

"In regions where local lockdown are implemented, it is crucial that all individuals adhere with local social distancing guidance in order to minimise the risk of large-scale transmission occurring."

1 June 2020

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