Blackburn breathes sigh of relief as clarity comes over Government Covid advice
Last updated 26th May 2021
It's business as usual for now in Blackburn after the government made a U-turn on local restrictions.
Local leaders held emergency talks with the government yesterday (25th May) after people were advised not to travel to and from the borough because of the Indian variant.
Public Health Directors in Lancashire said they weren't warned or notified about the advice before it was published on the government's Covid restrictions website but the government has since confirmed that there are no local lockdowns.
It does still advise against meeting indoors where possible and taking extra caution in areas where the Indian variant is prevalent - including Bolton and Burnley.
You can take a look at the latest advice here.
Dr Sakthi Karunanithi is Public Health Director for Lancashire. He said:
"We are in regular contact with government officials but on this occasion on this particular advise it has, indeed, caught us all by surprise but we believe it's now sorted and we had a good discussion.
"What has become clear is that the intention behind the guidance on the government website is not to bring in local lockdowns nor to legally restricting travel - rather it is to advise people of the risks in some areas with variants of concern which is something we've been doing for some time.
"It's important to stress the risk of variants is very real and it is also important to understand that some areas across the country are more vulnerable to Covid than other areas and we really need a precise national strategy to protect these areas faster with vaccinations, testing and other support for isolation - not to be distracted by unclear messages like lockdowns and travel restrictions."
Black with Darwen's Public Health Director has disagrees with the government guidance, tweeting that, "travelers just need to take extra care to be 'Covid-safe'".
Carole Davies is the landlady of the Clifton Arms in Blackburn. She was worried that the government's advice would have an impact on her business just as it was getting back up and running so was glad to hear about the government's U-turn.
She said: "Of course everyone is doing their bit. We're all in this together and we're doing as much as we can.
"We're so grateful that they have done this U-turn.
"There's a lot of people out there that are really affected by what has been said today and feel much better knowing this has been resolved.
"Obviously they're still going to stick by the guidelines and look out for each other. That's what we can all do - be sensible and take precautions as we have been doing all along.
"Together we can get through this if we do it sensibly."
Dr Karunanithi added that the Indian variant cases are particularly prevalent in young adults and secondary school college students - most of which aren't vaccinations yet.
There's also not yet an impact on the NHS suggesting that people who have had the vaccine are better protected against the variant.
He's urging anyone who is eligible and hasn't had the vaccine yet to go and get their first dose. It's now been opened up to over 30s.