PUBLIC health officials have confirmed that there will be no new travel restrictions despite recently changes to government advice.

Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley were among several boroughs to be given new advice which was uploaded to the government's website, without local leaders and public health officials having been consulted.

The advice states that people should not travel out of their areas or meet outdoors, however public health directors, including Blackburn with Darwen's professor Dominic Harrison, have said that as yet no formal travel restrictions have been put in place.

In a joint statement, the directors of public health for the affected areas said: "Following the national coverage of recently revised guidance we have met with national officials and confirmed there are no restrictions on travel in or out of each of our areas, there are no local lockdowns.

"In areas where the new Covid variant is spreading we are all working together to boost testing and vaccination and to support self-isolation.

"There are sensible public health precautions people can take as individuals in line with the sorts of advice we have all been following throughout the pandemic.

"We will keep sharing that and working with national officials to make sure people understand what they need to think about as they go about their daily lives."

As well as Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley, public health directors for Bedford, Bolton, Kirklees, Leicester, the London borough of Hounslow and North Tyneside have put their names to the statement.

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The advice was first issued on the government's website on Friday evening in order to address concerns about the spread of the so-called 'Indian variant' of coronavirus in these areas.

However, the guidance has sparked confusion with some officials only becoming aware of it on Monday evening and residents in affected boroughs feeling it is unclear and inconsistent.