CUMBRIA'S public health chief has appealed to residents for ways to curb Covid-19's spread in Barrow, as the town's infection rates begin to rise again in a significant way.

Paul Mort said: "Sweden had a partial lockdown. 7th highest death rate in Europe. Population density Sweden 25 per square kilometre. UK 275 per square kilometre. Professor who advised them has said he'd do it differently if he had to do it again."

John Smith said: "Whichever way you measure it, it was the most successful approach, although like us they made a big gaff in failing to protect the elderly in care homes. That's what they should have done differently and one of the reasons they still had a a fair number of deaths. They have now reached herd immunity; infections are at their lowest point and they can move on while we are still locking people down. If you had to choose between their policy and ours, I know which I'd go for."

Noah Manson said: "We didn't have to wear masks during in the peak of the pandemic and cases dropped. So please can you explain why wearing one now would get rid of it?"

Keith Mann said: "So Cumbria's Director of Public Health (that's a serious title, obviously gets paid well for it) is worried that Barrow is heading for a possible local lockdown. May I ask why he didn't use the actual infection figures (I assume he has them?). Quoting infection rates of 50 per 100,000 is pretty much meaningless, especially as Barrows population is around 67,000. So, what he really means is, that out of a population of 67000 people, 33 people have tested positive for Covid, not necessarily ill, just tested positive."

Peter Sullivan said: "More alarmist, irresponsible comments from Colin Cox, our so-called Director of Public Health. They're not outbreaks. They're positive tests, of people the vast majority of whom won't ever have symptoms. For other viruses and illnesses, no medical person would call someone with no symptoms a 'case', or a number of them an outbreak. This is crazy."