New figures calculated by Public Health England and Cambridge University showed the R rate - which measures how many people on average an infected person transmits Covid-19 to - in Yorkshire and the North East was 0.8, double that in London. It was the highest rate in England, as the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) announced the overall infection rate in the UK may have risen to one, which would indicate the outbreak is growing. The group said the number is now between 0.7 and 1, up from 0.5 to 0.9 last week. If at the higher end of that scale, it means the number of people with the virus would grow. Join our new coronavirus Facebook group for the latest confirmed news and advice as soon as we get it The infection rate is key because it will determine what steps the Government takes to ease or impose restrictions. Sage said the new range reflects the situation three weeks ago, adding that the number of cases in care homes and hospitals may account for the figure, and it was too early to tell what impact the lifting of some restrictions had. On Sunday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said easing of restrictions and their success “depends on all of us - the entire country - to follow the advice, to observe the social distancing and to keep that R down”. And today Downing Street confirmed lockdown could be altered on a regional basis depending on the reinfection rate. In guidelines released on Monday it was set out that measures would be targeted to specific areas in the future. And the newly-released variations in infection rates across the country will raise questions about whether areas such as Yorkshire will have to stay under stricter rules for longer. Today the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: "It could lead to some of the measures being eased at different rates in different parts of the country and at the same time it could lead to some measures being re-imposed in some parts of the country but not in others.” The document released earlier in the week said: “The Government also anticipates targeting future restrictions more precisely than at present, where possible, for example relaxing measures in parts of the country that are lower risk, but continuing them in higher risk locations when the data suggests this is warranted. For example, it is likely that over the coming months there may be local outbreaks that will require reactive measures to be implemented reactively to maintain control of transmission.” It added: “The Government may adjust restrictions in some regions before others: a greater risk in Cornwall should not lead to disproportionate restrictions in Newcastle if the risk is lower.” -------------------------- Editor’s note: First and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well. Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade. And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help. Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing subscriptions@jpimedia.co.uk. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available. If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country. Sincerely. Thank you. James Mitchinson Editor