Infection rates fall for third week as vaccine doses exceeds 1.3m

Oldham was the only borough to report more than 50 cases per 100,000 people

Greater Manchester’s infection rate has fallen for the third week in a row as the number of people to have received a Covid vaccine has exceeded 1.3 million.

There were 37.4 confirmed coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in the city-region in the week ending April 17, which is still higher than the England national average.

Oldham was the only borough to report more than 50 cases per 100,000 people, while the rate amongst over-60s fell below 10 in Salford and Stockport during the same period.

Covid prevalence is also beginning to thin out amongst all age groups as the vaccination rollout and unlocking of hospitality and non-essential retail continues.

Sir Richard Leese, chair of the health and social care partnership in Greater Manchester, said: “The vast majority of premises that have reopened have been really well managed.

“The people using them almost overwhelmingly are following the guidelines and keeping themselves and other people safe.

“We need to keep doing that so when we get to the next staging post in the roadmap, we’re able to move to the next bti of unlocking. 

“It does depend, to a large extent, on us and how we behave.”

A total of 1,308,275 first vaccine doses have been handed out in Greater Manchester, including almost all over-70s and 85 per cent of people aged 50 to 69.

Almost three quarters of over-70s have had a second jab as of April 21, rising from 57 per cent coverage to 72 per cent within a week.
Greater Manchester could reach complete vaccine coverage by the middle of May if the same rate of vaccination continues, according to Sir Richard.

The Manchester council leader added: “It’s really important that as many people as possible get their second vaccination as soon as they are able to do so.”

Covid patients currently occupy three per cent of all hospital beds in Greater Manchester, with hospitals seeing the number of intensive care patients and weekly admissions falling again in the week to April 20.

Less than one per cent of care home residents have Covid, or have shown symptoms of the virus, for a third consecutive week.

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