Scientists have warned that the UK could face a crippling second wave of coronavirus as public health officials contemplate localised lockdowns.
New disease modelling by University of Cambridge and Public Health England (PHE) suggests sizeable regional disparities in the rate of coronavirus transmission.
The new estimates suggest the R is between 0.7 and 1.0 in England, 1 in the South West and 1.01 in the North West, reports The Mirror.
The emerging challenge has led Health Secretary Matt Hancock to caution yesterday that parts of England could face stricter lockdowns than others when outbreaks are spotted.
But the government has faced criticism this week as some suggest it is easing the lockdown too quickly, with the UK death toll passing 40,000 yesterday.
Modelling on the 'R rate' is being used by the government's science advisory group, SAGE, to monitor the efficacy of Britain's lockdown restrictions as officials strive to keep the R below 1.
If it is 1 or higher, the virus will spread exponentially through the population, while a value less than 1 indicates the virus is in decline.
Concerns over outbreak hotspots came as scientists and doctors pleaded with the government to hold an inquiry ahead of a potential second wave this winter.
And schools in the regions emerging as suffering higher transmission rates are warning they should be able to keep their gates closed in local outbreaks.
Schools are being "strongly advised" not to admit more pupils after new data suggested coronavirus could still be spreading in the North West of England.
Schools in Wirral that were planning to open to more pupils from Monday have been told they can pause these plans after reports of a rising coronavirus infection rate in the region.
A message sent to school bosses from the council's director of children's services has said the local authority will support them in delaying a re-opening on Monday.
Schools in Halton were also advised not to reopen to reception, Year 1 and Year 6 until the R rate decreases to below 1.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, has questioned whether such measures are workable, calling them a "recipe for chaos".
Both he and Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram have questioned whether lockdown relaxation was being lifted too soon, driven from London, with the regions and the North not being listened to.
Scientists are still racing to determine whether deadly Covid-19 will flourish in winter, like seasonal bugs including influenza, as the world continues the search for a vaccine.
In a letter to The Guardian today those fears were outlined starkly in a direct public appeal to Boris Johnson's government.
Twenty-seven experts say the Government is without “quick, practical solutions to some of the structural problems that have made implementing an effective ( coronavirus ) response so difficult”.
They write: “If, as seems probable, there is a second wave this winter, many more will die unless we find quick, practical solutions to some of (these) structural problems,” adds the letter.
It was signed by top experts including former World Health Organisation director Professor Anthony Costello and former Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) member Professor Deenan Pillay.
The letter warned policy-makers and healthcare systems were poorly prepared for another onslaught of Covid-19.
