A day or so ago we were told that new cases had dropped by 20% of late. Indeed that was true because the peak was 272000 per week some weeks ago.

Sadly this has now all changed again. Whilst the weekly tally is down from that high peak, the percentage reduction is only 14% and the weekly rate has been rising over the past few days. It now stands at 234213. Although the margin is quite wide, the overall figure is staying frustratingly relatively consistent! So it is difficult to know on the basis of a week up and a week down which way things are going to turn.

But we keep watching nevertheless.

Deaths over the past 7 days are exactly 1000 and this is a further 0.5% increase. Patients admitted however amount to 5756 and is an overall drop of 15.9% but it seems to be relatively consistent now that deaths tend to lag new cases by a week or so, so the expectation will be that it will be going up in a week’s time.

But it is evident that the public is beginning to take big risks as if it were all over. Funerals and other gatherings see scarcely a mask anywhere and social-distancing has become a thing of the past – totally! If this is to be the on-going trend it really is not good news. Only when numbers of new cases start to drop will we begin to get some confidence back that it is safe to go out!

In the meanwhile our photo for today shows a lovely place where we think you will be safe – from covid at least!

Adrian Leopard     24-09-21

Photo Shafagh Faridifar