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Non-essential stores in Leicester to reopen next week

By Huw Hughes

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Retail

Non-essential stores in Leicester will be allowed to reopen from 24 July following a drop in Covid-19 cases in the area, the UK’s health secretary Matt Hancock has announced.

The city enforced stricter lockdown measures at the end of June following a surge in cases, becoming the UK's first full local lockdown.

Hancock said the seven-day infection rate in Leicester has since fallen to 119 cases per 100,000 people, down from 135 when the local lockdown was announced.

The government has previously warned that this type of targeted lockdown could become more common in the country as some cities across the world struggle to cope with surging cases after easing lockdown measures.

Hancock told the House of Commons on Thursday: “Some say that the local lockdown is unnecessary. I wish this were true, but sadly it remains vital for the health of everyone in Leicester and the rest of the country that these restrictions stay in place. We will review them again in a fortnight. I hope that this careful easing of restrictions will provide some comfort to people in Leicester and Leicestershire.”

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