Covid infection rate in Sheffield doubles in a week

In the week to July 4 – the latest accurate figures on record – the infection rate in the city rose to 251.5, up from 125.3 the week before.

This reflects a rise in new cases last week, where 1,471 were recorded. The week before 733 were recorded.

The rate is expressed as the number of new cases per 100,000 people.

Data for the most recent four days – July 2-5 – has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

This comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisted over the weekend that Covid restrictions would be eased on July 19, and also said that masks would become a ‘personal choice’ in the near future.

Sheffield parents slam Government plan to lift school isolation rules for 'using kids as guinea pigs'

The vaccine roll-out has been going well in Sheffield, with anybody over the age of 18 now eligible to book an appointment to get their first or second jab.

However, there are still fears over the proposed easing of restrictions, especially among parents after the Government announced plans to completely lift isolation measures in schools from the beginning of the new school year in Autumn.

This comes in spite of repeated cases in Sheffield of schools having to send pupils home after coming into contact with Covid.

The decision to lift measures comes amid fears that children are missing too much education by having to stay at home, and proposes the isolation measures be replaced with testing.

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