Walsall Covid case rates drop but caution is urged
The rate of positive Covid cases in Walsall continues to drop but residents are still being warned to follow the rules as lockdown restrictions are eased.
Figures show that, as of March 5, Walsall had 251 confirmed cases – 137 fewer than the previous week’s figures.
The current rate in the borough is 87.9 per 100,000 population which has fallen from the rate of 135.9 per 100,000 recorded by February 26.
Health bosses said they will assess what impact, if any, the return of all children to schools this week has on the number of cases in the town.
But despite the fall in cases and the continued roll-out of the vaccination, they are keen to urge people not to stop following the regulations.
Councillor Stephen Craddock, portfolio holder for health and well-being, said: “The sun’s out, a lot of people have had the vaccination, they’re feeling better about life.
“Spring is here but we must not forget the basic rules that still apply. We’re not supposed to be household mixing, it’s hands, face and space – that is still very applicable.
“The virus is still out there, you can get it and you could pass it on even if you’ve had the vaccination and we just need to keep our foot on the gas and hold steady.
“We will wait and see what happens with the schools this week and I think this three-week gap they’ve left is to release some of the restrictions and see what effect it has in terms of case numbers.”
Walsall director of public health Stephen Gunther added: “The more we stick to it now, the better position we will be long term.
“We will go back into a control strategy rather than in a management strategy, which we were a few weeks back because of the volume of cases.
“We will be dealing with Covid for a long time but we will be dealing with it in a smaller way.
“If we continue to wash our hands more, cover our faces, give other people space, not go into work if we’re unwell and have a supportive environment, wider respiratory diseases will hopefully reduce as well.
“Seasonal flu, norovirus and other airborne stuff – a lot of those other infections have dropped. If that’s a legacy, let’s hope it continues because that has an impact across health care.
“We’ve only vaccinated just over a third of the population. We need to stick with the restrictions and the basics.”
