Greater Manchester has moved into the highest coronavirus alert level of Tier 3, joining Lancashire and Liverpool City Region.
The region’s pubs and bars will be closed for 28 days unless they are serving “substantial meals”. Casinos, bingo halls and bookies will also be closed.
Social mixing is banned indoors and in private gardens, and the rule of six applies in outdoor settings such as parks, public gardens and sports venues.
Wales will begin its two-week lockdown at 6pm on Friday, while Coventry, Stoke and Slough enter Tier 2 on Saturday and South Yorkshire enters Tier 3.
Meanwhile, talks continue between the government and leaders in Nottingham, Warrington and West Yorkshire as to whether those areas will move toTier 3.
On Thursday, 21,242 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the UK, along with 189 deaths among people who had tested positive in the 28 days before they died.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also admitted that the test and trace system, which he previously insisted would be “world beating”, needed improvement.
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Latest figures show that less than 60% of close contacts of people who tested positive for coronavirus in England are being reached – the lowest weekly percentage since the scheme began.
Meanwhile, just 15% of people tested for COVID-19 in England at an in-person site are receiving their result within 24 hours.
Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the system’s weaknesses could be “diminishing the effectiveness”, adding that there is “room for improvement”.
Sir Patrick also showed modelling that estimates between 53,000 and 90,000 people are being infected with COVID-19 each day in England.
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