Drop in the number of Covid cases in Northumberland

Liz Morgan, the council’s director of public health, told members of the local authority’s health and well-being board that cases of the virus were falling – but warned that the public should still take precautions to protect themselves from the virus.

The latest data nationally from the Office for National Statistics showed the rate of spread appeared to be slowing, according to Ms Morgan.

However, she emphasised that measures such as vaccination, mask-wearing, self-isolation and hygiene were still critical.

Speaking at the meeting, she said: “We have obviously had this wave of Covid over the last couple of months that is now falling off. The prevalence rates have fallen from one in 20 to one in 25.

“It is not falling particularly quickly, but it has fallen in all regions and in all age groups. Those figures are for the week to July 26.

“Across the region, hospital admissions for people with Covid and bed occupancy for patients with Covid is all going down, which is good news.

“We’re also not seeing any new variants bubbling up underneath.

“I think the key messages going forward are still about wearing face masks in busy public spaces. One in 25 is still a lot of Covid.

“Isolate at home if you’re unwell – if you can – hand washing and good respiratory hygiene is still really important.

“The most important thing we can do is get vaccinated.”

Members of the board were also updated on the latest vaccination situation ahead of the autumn booster campaign, which will be rolled out to everyone over the age of 50.

The spring booster campaign reached 87 per cent of eligible people in Northumberland, which is above the average for the North East and Cumbria.