However, the new guidelines “are thought to have taken everyone by surprise, including Bolton’s public health directors and councillors”, says The Bolton News. Other local councils also said they were not informed of the changes, which would affect around two million people, until last night.
Wendy Burke, director of public health at North Tyneside Council, one of the high-risk areas, issued a statement saying that the change on the government website was not “accompanied by any communication”, says The Northern Echo, while Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, asked: “If this guidance was so important, why did no one know about it?”