Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Coronavirus: Fix contact tracing or shut pubs, Mayor Andy Burnham says

Coronavirus: Fix contact tracing or shut pubs, Mayor Andy Burnham says

Pubs may have to shut to allow schools to safely reopen if the NHS Test and Trace system is not "fixed urgently", the Greater Manchester mayor has said.

Only 53% of people in contact with a coronavirus carrier have been traced in the area, according to data.

Mayor Andy Burnham said: "There is a growing amount of evidence that pubs are one of the main places where this virus spreads."

The BBC has asked the government for a response.

Following a rise in infections, residents in parts of northern England including Greater Manchester have been banned from mixing with other households - apart from those in their support bubbles - in areas such as homes, pubs and private gardens.

Pubs are allowed to remain open, however, with different support bubbles banned from mixing.



Pubs reopened in England on 4 July



Mr Burnham joined calls for the government to improve the contact-tracing system, saying its tracing rate in Greater Manchester was "nowhere near good enough".

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "You can't safely open schools with pubs open as well, with that level of performance."

Earlier this month, Prof Chris Bonell from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated only half of contacts were being traced in England, adding the system was "not achieving the levels we have modelled".

However Local Government Minister Simon Clarke said their figures were higher.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was a "moral duty" to get all children back into England's schools in September.



Councils have called for funds for more local contact-tracing



Mr Burnham said some councils had shut pubs recently after "a substantial minority" broke rules.

He joined calls from other regions for "more direct powers" to close venues that were flouting regulations.

The mayor said: "This NHS test-and-trace system currently is not good enough to go into a winter with no treatment or vaccine, and the sad thing is it'll be our poorest communities that are most exposed.

"We have got August to fix this test-and-trace system… and if we haven't then I think there is a real possibility that we will have to close the pubs."

He repeated calls for government to listen more to regional authorities, urging ministers to give councils extra funds to do more contact tracing locally, including for "people who can knock on doors and do a better job than this national call centre system".

Earlier this week, Blackburn's public health director said the national system was "not fast enough", and authorities in the town said they were "already seeing benefits" after launching a tracing system where council staff used local knowledge.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
×