Covid: New lockdown needed, say Yorkshire leaders

The new national lockdown is necessary to stop hospitals being overwhelmed in "the toughest winter we have faced", South Yorkshire's mayor has said.

Schools in England have shut to most pupils and people have been asked to stay at home under tighter rules.

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of Sheffield City Region, said it was "the only way we will save lives and prevent our NHS and hospitals from being overwhelmed."

The lockdown rules are due to last until at least mid-February.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the coming weeks would be the "hardest yet".

It comes after the UK reported a record 58,784 cases on Monday, as well as a further 407 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Announcing the lockdown, Mr Johnson said hospitals were under "more pressure from Covid than at any time since the start of the pandemic".

Mr Jarvis had called for a "comprehensive package of financial support for workers and businesses".

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has since announced a grant scheme for retail, hospitality and leisure, as part of a measures worth £4.6bn across the UK.

Susan Hinchcliffe, Labour leader of Bradford Council, said the tougher measures were "inevitable" even though infection rates in the city had fallen.

"We're all one country and we know national lockdowns work to get infection rates down.

"I really feel for the businesses who will be affected by this latest lockdown."

Mr Sunak has said £594m will be made available through local authorities for businesses outside the retail, hospitality and leisure industries.

Scarborough and Whitby Conservative MP Robert Goodwill said the new lockdown would pose "great challenges" for people.

"We wouldn't make these decisions unless it was absolutely necessary to control the disease and keep the level of hospital admissions at a rate they can cope with, while at the same time rolling out the vaccination programme."

He added: "It is going to have great challenges for those people who can't work from home and who have to arrange childcare."

In Wakefield, council leader Denise Jeffery said the district had seen an increase in infection rates and said the authority would "do everything possible to support residents and business".

Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy said a fast and effective Covid vaccination plan must be given priority.

"Everything, all of our national efforts, all of our energy, all of our resources, must be pushed into vaccinating people as quickly as possible and as many as possible," she added.

Staff at a gym in York said there would be an impact on people's mental health.

Frankii Newberry, a personal trainer at Dominus Crossfit said "We are beyond heartbroken, we're exhausted, we're drained and we're all extremely concerned for our members and for how our bills are going to get paid now."

She added: "I absolutely respect the risk to physical health from the virus is enormous, but also there is the risk to mental health."

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