Yorkshire local lockdown: Why have lockdown measures been reintroduced in Yorkshire?
YORKSHIRE was slapped with new lockdown restrictions last night following Government messaging announced via Twitter which put the region and several others on alert. Why have lockdown measures returned in Yorkshire?
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Yorkshire will enter renewed lockdown measures today, as announced by Matt Hancock. The county will join several others this weekend, but officials will require little of them compared to earlier on in the pandemic. The Health Secretary said the Government took the decision with a "heavy heart".
Why have lockdown measures been reintroduced in Yorkshire?
Lockdown measures in Yorkshire and the other new regions won't follow the example set by Leicester's earlier this month.
While the latter city saw businesses closed once more, families in Yorkshire and the surrounding region will only have to refrain from gathering together indoors.
The Government said the decision sprang from alleged disobedience of preexisting coronavirus rules.
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Writing on Twitter, Matt Hancock said: "We're constantly looking at the latest data on the spread of coronavirus, and unfortunately we've seen an increasing rate of transmission in parts of Northern England.
"We've been working with local leaders across the region, and today I chaired a meeting of the Local Action Gold Committee.
"Based on the data, we decided that in Greater Manchester, parts of West Yorkshire & East Lancashire we need to take immediate action to keep people safe."
Pubs, cafes, bars and other shops will remain open while the lockdown continues.
Three regions in West Yorkshire will have to abide by the new rules.
The Government has contained Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees under the measures.
But officials haven't yet revealed when the orders expire.
The latest news will come as a blow to those celebrating Eid al Adha this weekend.
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One of the holiest Muslim festivals, the second Eid is a community-centred occasion which celebrates family.
Communal cooking is a central tenet of the four-day Festival of Sacrifice, and practitioners often distribute meals to their nearest and dearest.
Being barred from another family's home on the day will end up dampening the spirit of the occasion.
Residents in Leicester may catch the tail end of the celebration, however.
While Government has not revealed when people can expect to emerge from the measures imposed yesterday, they did signal an end to the Leicester city lockdown.
Officials reinstated the lockdown on July 3 and closed down previously reopened businesses.
While residents will remain under lock and key for the weekend, they can join the rest of the UK on Monday.
On August 3, shops shuttered this month and pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants can reopen again.