Coronavirus infection rates continue to fall across Shropshire

Coronavirus infection rates across Shropshire continue to fall as the one year anniversary of the first lockdown approaches. The infection rate is now the lowest in the West Midlands and below the national average.

In Telford and Wrekin, for the week ending 14 March, 49 Covid-19 cases were reported. A 45% decrease compared with last week's 89 cases. The seven-day infection rate for Telford and Wrekin is 27 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000.

In the Shropshire Council area, for the week ending 11 March, 107 new cases reported. This was a decrease of 54 cases (34%) compared to the previous week. The seven-day infection rate for Shropshire was 33.1 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 of the population.

For the West Midlands, the seven-day infection rate is 65 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 and for England, the seven-day infection rate is 58 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000.

Liz Noakes, Telford and Wrekin's Director for Public Health, said: "It is very pleasing to see that the fall in cases in Telford and Wrekin has been sustained and is now the lowest in the West Midlands.

"In even more welcome news, we had zero reported cases in over 60s, which as we all know is a group that is especially vulnerable to the virus.

"This is excellent news, but the number of cases will fluctuate, and outbreaks will continue.

"The steep decline in our infection rates is down to the efforts and sacrifices of our residents. Thank you to everyone who has played there part.

"But it is essential to acknowledge that we are not out of the woods yet. 

"We need to continue to play our part by following the rules, to keep cases down, to save lives."

Rachel Robinson, Shropshire Council’s director of public health, said:

“The news about the continued falling number of infections, coupled with the rising number of people getting their vaccinations, is rightly giving us all a sense of optimism after what has been a challenging few months.

“I liken our current situation to being 1-0 up in a football match. We are comfortable and in control – the last thing we want to do now is get complacent and let our hard-fought lead slip.

“Everyone has worked so hard to get us to this point. I don’t want to dampen anyone’s optimism, but we really need everybody to continue to be sensible at this time.

“Over 200,000 people have now received their vaccinations locally, but we cannot get complacent or let our guard down. People who have had a vaccine may still carry coronavirus and unintentionally pass it on to friends, family or work colleagues, so it is crucial that we continue to follow all measures to control the spread of the virus.

“We must all continue to follow the latest advice and guidance about regular handwashing, wearing a face covering, maintaining social distancing, and only going out if essential. In the past, we have seen how quickly cases can rise once restrictions are eased. If we want to move back to some ‘normality’ as quickly as possible, it is vital that everyone follows the rules.

“People should still self-isolate if they have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19 symptoms or have tested positive, even if they have had a vaccine themselves. It is also vital that people continue to take the opportunity to get regular tests.

“Routine testing means we can monitor the spread of the disease and spot any new virus variants before they become more prevalent in our communities. This is particularly important in workplaces, but matters in the wider community too. If people aren’t getting tested, we cannot identify new outbreaks or patterns, so we must all play our part.”