THE next stage in the country’s easing of coronavirus restrictions sees changes made to self-isolation rules as of today, Monday.

Now, people who are double jabbed or aged under 18 will no longer be legally required to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case.

The Government says these changes have been made as a result of the remarkable success of the UK’s vaccine programme, with over three quarters of UK adults now double jabbed.

As the rules change, we look as the current coronavirus situation in Warrington.

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

In contrast to the majority of areas in England, Warrington has seen its coronavirus infection rate fall this past week.

During the week up to August 8, which is the latest period for which Public Heath England data is available, 633 new Covid cases were detected in the town through lab and rapid lateral flow testing.

Warrington Guardian:

This demonstrates an infection rate of 301.4 cases among every 100,000 residents, which is the 123rd highest rate in England compared with all other local authority areas.

Comparatively, the previous seven-day period up to August 1 saw 684 cases recorded at a rate of 325.7.

Warrington is among 87 of 315 local areas in England that have seen a week-on-week fall in rates (28 per cent), while 225 have seen a rise (71 per cent) and three are unchanged.

How is Warrington Hospital coping?

As of Friday afternoon, 22 beds at Warrington Hospital were occupied by patients that had tested positive for coronavirus.

Of this number, five were in intensive care, according to a briefing issued by Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,

No new deaths had been recorded in the past 24 hours, with the trust’s virus death toll remaining at 512.

Three more patients had been discharged after recovering from Covid-19, with the hospital’s virus discharge total since the start of the pandemic rising to 2,149.

Warrington Guardian:

Where is the town up to in terms of its vaccination programme?

More than three quarters of Warrington residents have now received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, latest figures reveal.

NHS data shows 130,100 people had received both jabs by August 1, covering around 77 per cent of those in the town aged 16 and over.

Meanwhile, 150,536 people in Warrington have received at least one dose of a vaccine, or around 89 per cent of the population aged 16 and over.

It means that in total, 280,636 jabs have been administered in the town since the vaccination programme began in December.