Local lockdowns cannot be ruled out for the county.

Speaking exclusively to The Mail, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, said that a micro lockdown was a possibility for Cumbria.

He said: “Any future micro lockdowns in the county must be made as part of a conversation between all local authorities."

The Secretary of State took time out of his busy schedule to speak specifically about Cumbria, saying: “Be guided by the data, look at the figures first before making a decision to lock down locally."

Local lockdowns have been rolled out in several parts of the UK so far following the easing of national restrictions, including Pendle in Lancashire, along with Blackburn with Darwen in Cumbria's neighbouring county.

Mr Hancock further suggested “that decisions on smaller lockdowns should be made as part of a conversation between elected councillors on a ward per ward, and sub ward basis, and within the borough and county council areas”.

Last week, Mr Hancock announced a more targeted approach to restrictions in which the views of MPs would also be sought to gain “the maximum possible local consensus”.

He added: "This would allow local councils to focus resources on the wards which need more targeted intervention in order to drive infection rates down.”

Colin Cox, Cumbria County Council’s director of public health, said we would have options in any event if the county needed to consider any local lockdowns.

Mr Cox said: "How we respond to any future outbreaks of Covid-19 will depend on the specific circumstances and what is likely to be the most effective response.

It is helpful that there are a range of options available to us. Currently, rates of infection in Cumbria are low and in line with the national average.”

The UK has experienced local lockdowns in places where cases are high, but in Barrow there have only been five cases this month.

But there are still restrictions in place around multiple households gathering inside.

Speaking earlier on local lockdowns, Councillor Ann Thomson, Barrow Borough Council’s leader, said: “Infection rates in Barrow are at a very low level.

“If that were to change, and additional measures became a consideration, we would then work with the Public Health Authority for Cumbria to look at matters on a localised area by area basis.”

Explaining local lockdowns, a spokesperson for the British Medical Journals said, in the case of Leicester, all non-essential retail closed along with schools to all but vulnerable children and children of critical workers.

People were advised to stay at home as much as possible and maintain a physical distance of two metres.