Preston and South Ribble’s latest coronavirus infection rates as AstraZeneca jab won’t be offered to under-30s

Preston's Market Hall bathed in Spring sunshine Pic: Tony Worrall — Preston’s Market Hall bathed in Spring sunshine Pic: Tony Worrall

Preston’s latest coronavirus infection rate and cases have been confirmed as a major announcement was made about the use of the AstraZeneca jab in the Covid vaccine roll-out.

New cases for Wednesday (7 April) saw 10 new coronavirus cases recorded in Preston.

South Ribble recorded 12 new cases for the same day.

Wyre was up by two cases, Fylde by three cases, Ribble Valley by three cases and Chorley by nine cases.

See the latest coronavirus cases and information near you

Latest available infection rate data from the Public Health England dashboard shows Preston has a rate of 72 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to April 3, down from 102.7 cases per 100,000 people for the seven days to March 27.

Data for the most recent four days (April 4-7) has been excluded as it is incomplete and does not reflect the true number of cases.

South Ribble’s rate is now 35.2, down from 65.9 for the same two date periods as Preston.

Wyre’s rate is 13.4, down from 34.8 and Fylde is 13.6, down from 53.2.

Ribble Valley dropped to 39.4, down from 50.9 and Chorley dropped to 60.9, down from 77.

Under-30s will not be offered AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

People under the age of 30 will be offered alternatives to the AstraZeneca vaccine after the UK medicines regulator said there was a possible link between the jab and “extremely rare” blood clots.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the benefits of the vaccine still outweigh the risks overall, but while it has not concluded that the vaccine causes rare brain clots, it says the link is getting firmer.

The MHRA said the balance of risk for the AstraZeneca vaccine is very favourable for older people but “more finely balanced” for younger groups, who do not tend to suffer serious Covid illness.

As a result, people aged 18 to 29 will be offered the Pfizer, Moderna or other jabs that come on stream as the vaccination programme rolls out across the UK.

See the latest coronavirus vaccine stats and information near you

Separately, a review by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded on Wednesday that “unusual blood clots with low blood platelets should be listed as very rare side effects” of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Emer Cooke, executive director of EMA, said its review “confirmed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing Covid-19 overall outweigh the risk of side effects”, adding: “Vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid-19.”

Dr Sabine Straus, safety committee chairwoman at the EMA, said: “This vaccine has proven to be highly effective, it prevents severe disease and hospitalisation and it is saving lives.

“Vaccination is extremely important in helping us in the fight against Covid-19 and we need to use the vaccines we have to protect us from the devastating effects.”