FOR the first time this year, shops, hairdressers and pubs can reopen in Warrington.

It is the latest step on the easing of lockdown restrictions, and perhaps the biggest yet.

All have been closed in 2021 as coronavirus cases rocketed.

So what is the situation in Warrington?

The number of people catching the virus is the lowest since August.

Almost 18,000 people have had Covid-19 since the pandemic began.

According to the latest figures, just 63 new cases were confirmed in the past seven days.

That was a drop from 100 in the previous seven days.

How about the hospital?

The number of patients in Warrington Hospital is at the lowest since October.

As of Friday, 36 patients were in the hospital with Covid-19. Five were in intensive care.

Since the start of the pandemic, 492 deaths have been recorded. Just one of those was in the past week though.

And how is the vaccine going?

More than 120,000 doses have now been administered in Warrington.

More than 100,000 people have had at least one jab with many having both doses.