Covid situation in Warrington a week before lockdown easing

According to the Government’s website, from Monday, June 21, it is hoped that all legal limits on social contact can be removed.

It is also hoped that nightclubs can reopen, as well as a lifting of restrictions on large events and performances, weddings and other life events.

There is however a lingering doubt as to whether this stage will go ahead as planned due to a national surge in cases of the Indian variant.

How many cases are being recorded in Warrington each week?

Warrington is now among the 50 areas of England with the highest rates of new coronavirus cases.

This is according to the latest statistics from Public Health England issued on Friday.

They showed that in the week before June 6, which was the most recent period for which data was available, there were 167 positive Covid-19 tests returned in the town.

This equates to 79.5 cases for every 100,000 residents, which was the 38th highest rate in the country.

By comparison, in the seven days leading up to May 30 there were 49 new cases recorded in the borough – or 23.3 per 100,000.

Warrington was one of 272 local authority areas to record a rise in cases between these dates, while 36 experienced a fall and seven were unchanged.

How is Warrington Hospital coping?

Warrington Hospital was caring for three coronavirus patients as of Tuesday, according to the latest available figures.

NHS England data shows the number of people being treated in hospital for Covid-19 by 8am on June 8 was up from two on the same day the previous week.

The number of beds at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust occupied by people who tested positive for Covid-19 decreased by 81 per cent in the last four weeks, as 28 days ago, there were 16.

The figures also show that two new Covid patients were admitted to hospital in Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the week to June 6.

This was the same number as in the previous seven days.

Is the town’s vaccination programme still going well?

More than half of residents in Warrington have received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, latest figures reveal.

NHS data shows 92,434 people had received both jabs by June 6, which equates to 54 per cent of those aged 16 and over in the town.

In total, Warrington has completed 225,270 vaccinations since the programme began in December.

Of this number, 132,836 were first doses, which is the equivalent of 78 per cent of the population aged 16 and above.

Across England, 23.6million people had received a second dose of the jab by June 6 – 52 per cent of the population aged over 16 and over.

That includes 22.3million people aged 30 and over, or 62 per cent of the age group.

In total, 33.6million people had received at least one dose of a vaccine by the same date, covering 74 per cent of people over 16.

What are Warrington’s public health leaders saying?

Thara Raj, Warrington's director of public health, said: “There is no denying the effectiveness of the vaccine roll out in Warrington.

“But the Delta Covid-19 variant is spreading rapidly and is the dominant strain in Warrington, with an estimated 92 per cent of our cases being the Delta variant.

“Please play your part to lower our case numbers – making small changes such as meeting people outdoors instead of indoors, particularly now we are experiencing better weather, will help to make a huge difference to transmission in the borough.

“Coronavirus is far from over, so we all need to do what we can to help curb this spike in cases.”

Thara Raj, Warrington's director of public health

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, added: “The increase in case numbers within the community is becoming increasing concerning.

“Coronavirus is still around, and even though you may only get mild symptoms if you get it, other people can still become seriously ill.

“As always, you should get regular symptom-free tests to ensure you do not have the virus while not displaying any symptoms, and if you start to develop any symptoms, go home and self-isolate immediately and book an NHS (PCR) test as soon as possible.

“If you have been told to self-isolate by the national test and trace service, or by the council’s contact tracers, it is vital that you stay indoors for the full isolation period as you can still be contagious.”