Tougher Covid-19 restrictions announced for parts of West Midlands

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has announced a ban of two households mixing in Birmingham and the Solihull and Sandwell areas after a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases.

Reading from a statement prepared by health secretary Matt Hancock, Street said: “The following areas will now be escalated to an area of national intervention, with a ban on people socialising with people outside their own household.

“The ban will take effect from Tuesday 15th September, but residents are advised to avoid household mixing before then as it has been identified as one of the drivers of transmission.”

Street said that he had been given permission by Hancock, who had originally been due to make the announcement. He added that the restrictions do not apply to schools, workplaces or transport.

Councilor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, said there had been 892 cases in the latest seven-day period, mainly due to private parties and from workplaces where social distancing was not being observed.