Leader fears ‘at least 10 per cent’ have had Covid Video update paints a grim picture
AS COVID rates continue to climb in Macclesfield it has been said that ‘at least 10 per cent’ of Cheshire East’s population has had coronavirus.
Council leader Sam Corcoran painted the grim picture during a video update on his Twitter page on Friday.
According to the latest government figures (week ending January 5) there were 392 recorded cases in Macclesfield, Poynton and Disley.
This represents an increase of 35 from the previous week and a large rise from a total of 155 two weeks earlier.
Current hotspots are the areas of central Macclesfield, Gawsworth and Macclesfield Forest, and Bollington with 48, 44 and 42 cases respectively.
Bollington also had the highest rolling rate of 530.6 cases per 100,000 which was slightly under the national average.
Prestbury and Adlington had the lowest number of cases (12) after a large fall of 25 that week.
Coun Corcoran said in his video: “There have now been 13,930 confirmed Covid-19 cases in Cheshire East - that’s an increase of 275 from yesterday.
“To put that in some perspective, the population of Cheshire East is about 380,000, so 13,930 represents about four per cent, or just under four per cent.
“Given the low rate of testing during the first wave, that suggests that at least ten per cent of the population have already had Covid-19.”
“However, to get herd immunity, you need to have at least 70 per cent immunity, and most vaccination programmes aim for 95 per cent - so we really need the vaccination programme.”
The vaccine is being rolled out with GP led sites in Macclesfield and Poynton as well as the first person being given the jab at Macclesfield Hospital this week.
Data from East Cheshire NHS Trust, which runs Macclesfield Hospital, says it was supporting 116 Covid patients as of January 5.
Four of these needed a ventilator.
Coun Corcoran said: “The numbers of infections have increased sharply in the last two weeks, and we know that hospital admissions tend to follow a week or two behind infections.
“So the pressures on the NHS locally, will increase for the next few weeks.
“I am hopeful that the infection rates after a peak due to the Christmas [rules] relaxations will plateau due to the tier 3 and tier 4 restrictions, and then begin to fall due to the impact of lockdown.
“But the next few weeks will be difficult for the NHS, so please do stay at home, and if you do go out, stay two metres apart, wear a mask, don’t touch your face, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water as soon as you return home.”