The government is advising people to avoid non-essential travel in and out of North Tyneside due to the spread of the Indian Covid variant.
The borough is one of eight advice areas in England that should be avoided “unless it is essential”, according to guidelines on the government website.
The stricter advice appears to have been posted online Friday without an official announcement – and it contradicts comments from the North Tyneside director of public health on Monday afternoon.
ChronicleLive understands that there was no communication between the central government and the North Tyneside Council prior to the publication of the advice to avoid the borough.
During a question-and-answer session on ChronicleLive’s Facebook page, Wendy Burke said it was “certainly okay to visit the area” as long as people exercise caution and follow public safety measures such as hand washing.
But the advice on gov.uk states that people should try “to avoid traveling in and out of affected areas unless it is essential, for example for work (if you cannot work from home) or to education ”.
The guidelines apply to North Tyneside, Bedford, Blackburn and Darwen, Bolton, Burnley, Kirklees, Leicester and Hounslow – all areas that have experienced outbreaks of the rapidly spreading strain.
(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)
He says: “The new Covid-19 variant spreads more easily from person to person. To help stop the spread, you need to be especially careful when meeting someone outside of your household or the Supportive Bubble.
“In the areas listed, whenever possible you should try to meet outdoors rather than indoors when possible, stay two meters away from people you do not live with (except if you have formed a supportive bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with, [and] Avoid traveling in and out of affected areas unless it is essential, for example for work (if you cannot work from home) or for study. “
He also advises people in the eight regions to get tested for Covid twice a week, continue to work from home if possible, and get vaccinated when offered the vaccine.
During Monday afternoon’s question-and-answer session, Ms Burke appeared unaware of advice for people not to travel to North Tyneside or to avoid leaving the borough.
She said: “It is certainly normal to visit the area and obviously we have some fantastic things to bring and see. We don’t want to send people away, but my message is the same as for the residents.
“When you get to North Tyneside, be careful especially when you’re inside and thinking about ‘Hands, face, space’ and these are the things that will keep us safe.”
The Manchester Evening News reported that local leaders and local public health directors in Bolton were unaware of the guidelines.
Ms Burke said surge testing in North Tyneside over the weekend showed a Covid case rate of around 55 per 100,000 people over seven days, or “well over 100 cases in a week.”
She added that there were also “around 40 confirmed cases of the Indian variant in the district.”
Currently, Bolton has the highest seven-day infection rate in the country, at 450.7 cases per 100,000 population.
The North Tyneside Council and the Department of Health and Welfare have both been contacted for comment.