A MAJOR government policy shift on the use of 'local lockdowns' to control future coronavirus flare-ups was announced in response to a question put to Health Secretary Matt Hancock by The Mail's sister paper, the News & Star.

At the Government’s Downing Street briefing yesterday, we quizzed Mr Hancock about fears that a flood of visitors returning to Cumbria and the Lake District as lockdown is eased could fuel a “second wave” of infections.

Thoughout the pandemic, health chiefs have repeatedly warned that a surge of visitors, if big enough, may potentially push up local infection rates. Cumbria has been among the worst hit areas of the country for infections, though the reasons are not yet fully understood.

Asked by the News & Star whether local health chiefs will be able to use ‘localised’ lockdowns if there is a resurgence locally in cases, Mr Hancock said: “I know there’s been a specific problem in terms of flare-ups and in terms of the number of cases, particularly in Barrow-in-Furness.

“I’ve been talking to the local MP about this, who’s doing a brilliant job in bringing matters to my attention locally and the short answer is yes: we will have local lockdowns in future where there are flare-ups.

“We have a system that we’re putting in place with a combination of Public Health England and the new Joint Biosecurity Centre, along with the local directors of public health - who play an absolutely crucial in the decision making in this system - to make sure that if there is a local flare-up we have a local lockdown.

“So local lockdowns will be part of the future system that we put in place as part of the NHS test and trace system.”

Professor John Newton said our question emphasised that whatever measures are put into place must work everywhere in the country. “Different areas will have their own different considerations,” he said, describing the Lake District as a “very special place.”

He said that the whole of civic society had to be involved in coronavirus and that everybody was affected by it. “It is a whole country effort: it has a national component but it has a very important local component as well which needs to reflect ... the special characteristics of different parts of the country.”

Cumbria’s director of public health Colin Cox welcomed the announcement, saying: “It’s sensible to have the option of a local lockdown as a tool, though it would of course have to be used very carefully.”

ITV’s political editor Robert Peston said of Mr Hancock’s local lockdown announcement: “This is a hugely significant announcement, completely unplanned as far as I can see. The press conference was extraordinary, he said. ‘Yes there will be local lockdowns” where there are local Covid-19 flare ups. Quite an extraordinary press conference.”