What’s happening in Bolton to give such a huge rise in cases?

[AndromedaPerseus]

Just that really, any insights from locals?

Can't tell you about Bolton but in Leicester huge family gatherings persisted and certain sections of the community didn't think the rules applied to them because they were related (or the mayor!) By family gatherings I'm not talking 8 or 10, there was 15 cars outside my neighbours house last month when I was last in the city (I've moved but selling house)

Interesting that the press say the vast majority of transmissions is through the community. Large Multigenerational gatherings Must be the most risky due to the old being the so vulnerable to Covid. Not sure how you can prevent these if they are taking place in private homes. However people who are not vulnerable or are observing SD must be getting to the end of their tether by more restrictions if certain communities can’t even observe the basics. The BBC news website was reporting in Bradford some restaurants were hosting large weddings- bigger than 30 using the eat out to help out scheme

I live in Rochdale, which is teetering on the brink. I think multi generational households, secret house parties & general disregard for the rules.

The Council/GMCA have been reluctant, detrimentally so imo, to use the facts that the Bame community are more at risk, due to many being self employed key workers, that can't afford time off & live in multi generational households, which is a risky combination.
Rochdale Council a few weeks ago said the Asian community are not to blame & this week have been quick to highlight a rise in racist/hateful comments in regards to corona, but fail to understand that yet again their not wanting to offend/ostracize the majority labour vote, has had a detrimental affect on our diverse community yet again. Very much the same toxic culture that allowed & facilitated Grooming to continue, is now endangering the South Asian community. Because they are more interested in highlighting the issue of clovid racism etc than highlight a very specific known risk to a specific at risk group.
I read earlier this week it was Goverment who decided not to make a target of the South Asian community, probably due to the mistrust already created by the prevent agenda and the rise of Islamaphobia. This reluctance to address it imo has contributed to the rising cases & is completely bonkers.

Just to point out, it's not the community causing the rising infection rate, it's the official response. And trying to molly cuddle certain sections of the community under the guise of race relations, rather than be straight so people can deal with it.
I think a few Muslims find it ironic people can go to the pub and mix yet they can't celebrate a large wedding or eid gathering. For instance the choice to ban all large 10pm the night before eid was ridiculous and quite offensive to many. So maybe that's why there's been reluctance to address it.

Did you hear that PHE reckon a lot of Greater Manchester never left the epidemic phase, and its just endemic now?

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/05/covid-19-could-be-endemic-in-deprived-parts-of-england

If this is correct, the implication is that stricter lockdown and observance aren't the answer. Note that in some of the worst affected areas, people are less likely than average to be able to wfh, and as incomes are lower aren't going to have resources to exist on SSP.

Yes, cultural practices such as gatherings, handshaking hugging continuing in parts of some communities; multigenerational living; lower income employment usually in essential worker sectors. So part behaviour and part social circumstance.

It is families gathering in houses together. Repeated ladies a d now schools have gone back most people have thrown the rules out of the window. Here in both we entered a new lockdown again last night and I still have kids telling me they are going to parties, or grandparents at the weekend. I travel in to Bolton from Tameside to work and am terrified of taking anything home, so I will not see anyone apart from DH and our kids until October half term at least.

Selfish, irresponsible people who I know also lie to test and Trace about where they have been.

I also wonder if London and south east now has more herd immunity than the rest of country as similar BAME communities in these areas are not showing anywhere as high infection rates as Bolton and the north. Surely if you live in a multigenerational household you would be extra cautious because of the risk to elderly members.

It's difficult to be more careful though when many of the jobs necessitate being out in the community taxi drivers and takeaway staff and deliverers being prime examples.
On a different note dn now has no income again as the pub/restaurant she worked in was shut down mid afternoon yesterday.
No idea if she will get any help from government as she was brought back from furlough, she's plenty of food for the next few days as all the things they had already prepared for the evening meals obviously couldn't be sold.
It's a complete mess,why couldn't Boris give pubs until closing time at night or at least 10.00pm just so badly thought out.
People were coming to the door for their meals, not everyone has information like this available mid afternoon.

It's difficult to be more careful though when many of the jobs necessitate being out in the community taxi drivers and takeaway staff and deliverers being prime examples.

So if they're higher risk, why don't they take precautions, like wearing masks, regular hand washing, etc?

@OpenlyGayExOlympicFencer

Did you hear that PHE reckon a lot of Greater Manchester never left the epidemic phase, and its just endemic now?

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/05/covid-19-could-be-endemic-in-deprived-parts-of-england

If this is correct, the implication is that stricter lockdown and observance aren't the answer. Note that in some of the worst affected areas, people are less likely than average to be able to wfh, and as incomes are lower aren't going to have resources to exist on SSP.

I live in Greater Manchester and think I agree with this view. Andy Burnham said at the time that lockdown was being lifted too early for the NW of England. Also, a lot of people are not keeping to the social distancing rules and are meeting friends/family without SD because ... (insert convenient reason/excuse here). I think areas with lower rates at the moment need to be really careful and stick rigidly to the rules because otherwise you will find rates starting to increase there too. It is the nature of exponential growth that it bubbles along at really low levels for quite a while and then suddenly shows a much sharper increase.

I have no personal knowledge of or if
taxi drivers or fast food delivers wash there hands. I have seen taxi drivers wearing masks but they don't always seem to go back to base between jobs and all public toilets seem to be shut. I hope they use hand sanitiser but really can't comment on that.
Anyhow Mr Burnham our kind and caring Mayor says it's pubs and restaurants that cause the problem along with household aquired infection.

People not giving a shit quite frankly,I live in Bolton and all through the pandemic I have seen people blatantly flouting the rules ,if you want an insight into the mindset of ,just read the comments on the many articles in the Bolton news.

I do think that stricter measures will still reduce spread though, even if it is endemic. The fewer people a person comes into contact with, the less the virus spreads and this is always true. It does mean that lifting restrictions is much more tricky though.

It's just forcing the it won't happen to me lot into house visits though.Booze at home food delivered and can smoke as well, win from their point of view.
I know people in bolton seem to be far more relaxed in their rule interpretation than in other nearby areas(polite description of situation)

Your not wrong @Starisnotanumber it infuriates me that those of us who have consistently stuck to the rules are penalised ,having said that I have been into the town centre this morning and most people were wearing masks ,so maybe it's finally sinking in 🤔

Similar I live outside Bolton but work in the centre.
We have been doing all the right things but have really no chance to really get on top of things as this time last week bolton was to be released from lockdown and Bury was still in the red zone.
Went into supermarket a few days ago and out of 7 people in the checkout queue only 2 had masks on. Various ages and ethnicities though. Same supermarket yesterday all had masks so maybe its getting through

Let's hope so .

Not in Bolton but I’m from there, so these are my takes albeit from a distance.

Speaking to my mum, the areas with highest rates of infection include those areas that also have high populations of south Asian people. One place in particular is made up of mainly 2/3 bed terraced houses with no front or back garden, maybe a back yard. These tend to be inter generation houses. The community there is also very close knit and if you don’t live with your family, then you’re only a few doors down from them. They spend a lot of time socialising. These community members tend to be either self employed or work in customer facing roles - taxi drivers, warehouse, hospitality, retail.

You also have high spikes in areas of lower income. Again in these areas you are getting people doing jobs that can’t be done at home and are customer facing. These areas tend to be very tight knit too, with people spending a lot of time with friends.

Both these areas, then send their kids to school or pass it to customers in other areas and infection rates creep up.

From my FB, there are some people in my hometown who believe it’s a hoax. I also know vulnerable people who aren’t taking any precautions and we’re still sending their kids to school because it’s easier.

It’s like a perfect storm. The correct amount of people who believe it’s a hoax, high numbers of BAME, all tightly packed together.

Breightmet has the highest number I believe @TipsySquirrel.

I live in Bolton too. x2boys is right people are causing me to despair. They aren't wearing masks nearly enough. People have kept gathering in large groups, particularly 18-30's, house parties, bbq's, round at their mates. In my experience the few pubs I went in didn't enforce social distancing, didn't make people stay sat at tables, didn't insist on details for track n trace. Schools have gone back this week and they're doing their best but pupils are returning already infected. I'm so fed up of this place. I was furloughed for 6 months for health reasons, went to work for 2 days and am now having to self isolate because of a positive test in my workplace.

I think a few Muslims find it ironic people can go to the pub and mix yet they can't celebrate a large wedding or eid gathering

This is because the pub is legally bound to take customers' details for track & trace, and set up systems & protocols that ensure that all patrons maintain social distancing. And can ask people to leave if they breach those guidelines.

I doubt this is happening in house parties or large family gatherings of whatever religious or ethnic grouping (I live in a student town - the non-socially distanced groups are getting bigger).

Pubs are public spaces (hence "public house" duh). Family parties etc are private and not able to be subject to surveillance.

There's emerging evidence in Germany (who have a competent government not the buffoons some of you elected) that the main way of controlling & living with the virus is through maintaining social distancing, and using face coverings when this isn't possible.

Mr Burnham has just announced financial help for business at 1500. 00 per 3 weeks.
What will that do to help people laid off from working in pubs etc between all the staff it's around 25.00 a week each even if the managers distribute it and don't use it to pay bills.

Problem is the northwest was locked down too soon and now has lockdown fatigue.
London was locked down late and therefore developed herd immunity.
We should have had more local lockdowns from the start . Those areas that had no/fewer cases when lockdown started will suffer the most as their economies will be hit twice.

@x2boys yeh, my mum said Moses Gate, Breightmet and Darcy Lever were the areas with the biggest spikes.