Cheshire East will be getting further Covid support to help combat the rise of the Delta variant across the borough.

On Monday, the Government announced the borough has been identified as an ‘Enhanced Resource Area’.

The Delta variant is more transmissible than previous variants and cases are also rising in other areas of the north west, including Cheshire West, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, which have also been placed into this category.

Designation as an Enhanced Resource Area is not a local lockdown or a return to a tiered system, but allows the council to access a range of support and guidance to address rapidly rising infection rates.

This can include driving vaccine uptake for eligible people, the possibility of requesting military aid, additional testing support – including schools testing, and other assistance and support.

Councillor Sam Corcoran, leader of Cheshire East Council said: “We welcome any additional practical support in our fight against Covid in Cheshire East.

“This new designation from government recognises the prevalence of the Delta variant and the rapidly increasing rates in the borough and it very much reflects the measures we have been putting in place locally over the last few weeks as local data showed us that infections were rising.

“For example, we have worked with the Department of Health and Social Care and Sodexo to bring in additional testing capacity.

"We are working closely with schools around testing and other measures such as face coverings. And I, with the other Cheshire council leaders, have written to the Secretary of State for Health about vaccines.

“My key ask is for additional vaccination supply. Cheshire’s vaccination programme has been a great success so far and we stand ready to ramp up vaccinations which are currently constrained by the supply available to us.”

Testing and vaccinations will – in combination with guidance such as washing hands, wearing a face covering, maintaining social distance, and meeting people from other households outdoors where possible – help control the spread of this variant.

Matt Tyrer, director of public health at Cheshire East Council, said: “We have seen cases of the new Delta variant of coronavirus increase dramatically over the last couple of weeks in Cheshire East, in particular significant outbreaks related to hospitality and catering establishments, retail outlets and in our schools.

“Having seen the substantial increase in transmission in our Greater Manchester neighbours and increasingly across the north west, it was sadly only a matter of time before the spread was to be seen across Cheshire given our strong links with work, travel and friends and family.

“We know the importance of the vaccine programme, with all the current evidence suggesting the massively positive protective benefits of having both doses of the vaccine in helping prevent serious illness and hospitalisation of the new Delta variant.

“We will therefore be asking for significant increases in the vaccine supply for our communities and much-improved access to vaccination sites and pop-up clinics across our borough, alongside greater levels of testing and self-isolation support.”