Preston council warns young people 'don't kill granny' as city placed under local lockdown

Young people in Preston have been warned not to "kill granny" after the city was put under local lockdown, with about half of new coronavirus cases in the area among people under 30.

Ministers imposed the new restrictions in Preston on Friday evening after a local spike of 61 new cases in the seven days to August 4, which is the equivalent of 42.6 cases per 100,000 people – up from 21.7 per 100,000 in the previous seven days.

Local public health officials said people mixing with other households in pubs, as well as in their homes, led to a need for increased coronavirus restrictions.

And city leaders warned that young people need to be aware that even though they may not have serious symptoms, they could be infecting relatives who might be more vulnerable.

Preston City Council chief executive Adrian Phillips told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I know our director of public health has said ‘Don’t kill Granny’ to young people to try and focus the message.

“Young people are inevitably among the brave and the bold, they want to be adventurous and out and about, but we know that they have the virus, are more likely to at the moment, they often have less symptoms but they do take it back to their household and the community spread we are seeing, we believe, in many cases are young people taking it home and catching the virus."

He also spoke out in favour of the Local Government Association’s call for councils to have greater powers to close pubs to slow the spread of Covid-19.

“You need responsive powers,” he said. “It is useful to have something that can move quickly and we can make it entirely clear to the licensee or the operator what the consequences are.”

Director of Public Health for Lancashire Sakthi Karunanithi said almost half of the cases reported were among people aged 30 and younger.

Mr Karunanithi told reporters the “two main reasons” for the rise in infections were people meeting others in their houses and households coming together in venues such as pubs.

He added: “These two are key behaviours we’re trying to protect people from. Don’t meet with members of other households in pubs and clubs

On Saturday morning, Charlene Gardner, 38, was in Preston city centre to buy school shoes for her two children.

She said: “I was happy the restrictions were brought in because I think we do need the police to get involved.

“The pubs around us were still 30 or 40 deep outside last night.

“It won’t mean any changes for us because we haven’t been seeing family anyway but I saw some reaction online last night and I think a lot of people aren’t going to listen to it.

It comes a week after the same measures were brought in for residents in Greater Manchester, parts of east Lancashire and West Yorkshire, as well as Leicester.

The Government said guidance will make clear that people should not be gathering with other households anywhere indoors.

The restrictions on gatherings in Preston will be reviewed again next week, with any changes to be announced by August 14.

With additional reporting by PA

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