UK reviewing Covid curbs that include London lockdown: reports

London

THE UK is looking at all options for tackling flare-ups of the coronavirus and will use regional data to target its response, local government secretary Robert Jenrick said, following newspaper reports that a London-wide lockdown is being considered if cases spike in the capital.

While Mr Jenrick said he wasn't aware of a plan to seal off London, which the Sunday Times newspaper reported is being considered as a worst-case option by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's inner circle of advisers, he said restrictions introduced in the north-west of England late on Thursday show ministers will act where and when it's necessary.

"We don't want to do anything that's a blanket approach across the country; our strategy is to manage this in a localised way with targeted action", Mr Jenrick told Times Radio.

"We will restrict in certain areas - and that's difficult for people who live there - but it provides greater freedom for the rest of the country, for businesses to reopen and people to get on with their daily lives."

Ministers are seeking to balance the need to damp down flare-ups of the virus while rebooting the UK economy, which is facing its worst recession in 300 years.

Mr Jenrick denied newspaper reports of plans to close pubs and said any restriction on the movements of everyone over the age of 50 is "not something being actively considered".

The reports came two days after Mr Johnson postponed the planned easing of lockdown measures amid a surge in infections. The prime minister ditched proposals to reopen leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, and cancelled trials aimed at getting sports fans back into stadiums.

Possible measures include locking down the capital if infection rates spike and tightening quarantine rules on those flying into the UK, the Sunday Telegraph reported. There could be travel curbs in and out of the M25 highway encircling Greater London and a ban on overnight stays if there's a surge in cases, according to the Sunday Times.

Mr Johnson's office said the reports were "speculation". BLOOMBERG