Preston and South Ribble coronavirus infection rates fall, UK Covid rate plummets and new vaccine advice for pregnant women

Springtime in Friargate looking towards the Harris Pic: Tony Worrall

Preston and South Ribble’s coronavirus rates are both continuing to dip as we head into the first weekend under the new relaxed coronavirus restrictions.

The city recorded six new Covid cases for Friday (16 April).

South Ribble saw three new cases for the same day.

Wyre was up by four, Fylde by two, Ribble Valley just one new case and Chorley recorded four cases.

Preston’s coronavirus infection rate is now 41.2 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to April 12, down from 55.9 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to April 5.

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Data for the most recent four days (April 13-16) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

South Ribble’s Covid rate dropped to 37, from 42.4 – for the same two date periods as Preston.

Ribble Valley’s rate is 16.4, down from 39.4 and Chorley’s rate dropped to 44.8, down from 49.1.

Wyre’s rate at 11.6, down from 14.3 and Fylde rose to 24.8 from 16.1.

Covid now at lowest levels since September last year as new advice given on receiving the Covid-19 vaccine while pregnant

New figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest coronavirus cases have fallen to levels in the UK not seen since September.

According to the latest estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), around one in 480 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to April 10 – down from one in 340 the previous week.

This is the lowest figure since the week to September 19 2020, when the estimate stood at one in 500.

The latest figures come as new medical advice emerged suggesting pregnant women should be offered the coronavirus vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population – based on age and clinical risk group.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said there were “no specific safety concerns” identified with “any brand of Covid-19 vaccines” in relation to pregnancy.

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Covid-19 jabs had previously only been offered to pregnant women when their risk of exposure to the virus is high, such as health workers, or if a woman has underlying conditions placing her at higher risk of Covid-19 complications.

The JCVI said data from the US showed around 90,000 pregnant women had received jabs, mainly the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, “without any safety concerns being raised”.

As a result, the JCVI said it advises that it is “preferable” for pregnant women in the UK to be offered these two vaccines where available.

It added: “There is no evidence to suggest that other vaccines are unsafe for pregnant women, but more research is needed.”

It is understood that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are considered preferable because they are the jabs for which safety information relating to pregnant women is available, whereas there is not as much relevant data on other jabs such as the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England (PHE), said: “The available data on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines provide confidence that they can be offered safely to pregnant women.

“The Covid-19 vaccines continue to save thousands of lives and it is important that we encourage as many people as possible to take up the offer when it is their turn.”