Covid-19: Five parts of Greater Manchester get extra cash to tackle coronavirus this winter

Five Greater Manchester areas are expected to receive extra government support to tackle coronavirus this winter.

Bolton is set to be categorised as an area of ‘enduring transmission’ for Covid along with nearby Blackburn with Darwen, as well as Luton and Leicester.

From October 22, it is understood they will receive an additional government support package help them until potentially March 2022.

Another plan from the UK Health Security Agency, formerly Public Health England, is likely to see Manchester, Rochdale, Oldham and Tameside, along with at least 12 other boroughs nationwide, have additional support from November 5.

What do the measures involve?

The measures could see financial packages for councils to support workplaces and businesses to become Covid-secure, vaccine programme support and data and insight support to help develop what is working in those areas.

Twelve of the 20 areas are in the North.

The government’s Covid framework which was updated on October 7, described areas with ‘enduring transmission’ as being ‘linked to long-standing patterns of deprivation and health inequalities’.

It is understood that the councils on the lists have yet to be told in detail about the level of funding to be granted.

They said the UK Health Security Agency were dealing with the plans.

A government spokesperson said: “As set out in the Autumn and Winter plan, the government remains in close partnership with local authorities and we will continue to be guided by data and local insight so that we can provide targeted support to areas that need it to slow the spread of Covid-19.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said that thanks to the success of the vaccination programme, it should be possible to handle a further resurgence with less damaging measures than the lockdowns and economic and social restrictions deployed in the past.

They said details have already been set out as to how national, regional and local partners should continue to work with each other across the winter period and that the government has set out its Winter Plan which contains details for how Covid will be managed be over the next few months.