Wales locks down as COVID-19 cases spike; Manchester resists
LONDON (AP) — Wales on Monday became the second nation in the United Kingdom to lock down large swathes of its economy to combat rising coronavirus infections, but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is resisting loud calls to do the same throughout England.
Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said his administration was backing a short, sharp “firebreak” to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Northern Ireland has already ordered schools to close for the next two weeks, banned most social gatherings and shut down many businesses including bars and restaurants for a month.
The Welsh decision came as officials in Greater Manchester kept rejecting efforts by Johnson's Conservative government to move the region into the highest level of restrictions in the three-tier system Johnson unveiled a week ago. While the government’s scientific advisers have recommended a short national lockdown, Johnson says his tiered, regional approach limits the economic and social damages from the pandemic on areas where infection rates are lower.
Johnson’s government says the talks with authorities in Manchester must be completed Monday because the public health situation is deteriorating, but local officials are holding out for more financial assistance for those hurt by the restrictions.
Sean Fielding, a council leader in the Manchester area, told the BBC that local leaders are trying to protect residents from the government’s “untested” strategy. Fielding said he favors a short national lockdown instead.
“The logical solution, to me, seems to be to take the advice of your national scientific advisers, do the short-term circuit-breaker lockdown, which will be much less painful because it will be for a shorter period," he said. "It will be cheaper in the long run as well, because you will only have to provide that financial...
