WE are now two weeks on from so-called Freedom Day in Warrington and the rest of the country.

The day, also labelled as stage four in the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, saw all legal restrictions on social contact removed.

In the two weeks since July 19, life has returned to something that resembles normality, although mask wearing is still encouraged in areas with poor ventilation and on public transport.

We look at the impact the removal of restrictions has had on the coronavirus situation here in Warrington.

How many cases are being recorded in the town each week?

The latest official statistics on the spread of coronavirus in Warrington show that cases continue to fall.

Data from Public Health England showed that in the week before July 25, the most recent period for which figures are available, a total of 829 positive cases were detected in the town.

This demonstrates an infection rate of 394.7 cases per every 100,000 people, which is the 62nd highest in the UK compared with all other local authority areas.

Warrington Guardian:

The previous seven-day period up to July 18 saw 1,420 cases recorded at a rate of 676.1.

Of the 315 local areas in England, Warrington was among 313 that had seen a week-on-week rise in rates, while two areas saw a fall.

How is Warrington Hospital coping?

As of Friday afternoon, Warrington Hospital was caring for 22 patients that had tested positive for Covid in the past 14 days or less.

Of this number, four were in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

This was a fall of two patients in total, including one in ICU, since the day before.

Moreover, four more patients had been discharged from the hospital in the past 24 hours after recovering from the virus.

This took the trust’s discharge total since the start of the pandemic to 2,110.

Warrington Guardian:

Sadly however, another patient had sadly died at the Lovely Lane site after contracting coronavirus.

This meant that the trust’s virus death toll to date had risen to 509.

How is the town’s vaccine programme progressing?

A large majority of Warrington residents have now received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, latest figures reveal.

NHS data shows 124,635 people had received both jabs by July 25, covering 73 per cent of those in the town aged 16 and over.

Meanwhile, 149,238 people in Warrington have received at least one dose of a vaccine, or 88 per cent of the population aged 16 and over.

It means that in total, 273,873 jabs have been administered in the town since the vaccination programme began in December.