There can be no room for complacency

News that coronavirus cases continue to fall in Sunderland is most welcome – but we cannot afford to be complacent.

It is very encouraging to see that, since July 15 when Sunderland recorded its highest case rate, numbers have been in decline. Compared to this time last month, cases are around 75 per cent down. That is good news. But as Gerry Taylor, Executive Director Public Health for Sunderland City Council, points out on the pages of the Sunderland Echo today, rates are still higher than they should be.

The reduction in cases is seen as being due to high rates of vaccination on Wearside and our schools breaking up for the summer holidays. A continued cautious attitude is also contributing to this. Many people are still adhering to past guidelines on social distancing as well as still wearing face masks in enclosed public places.

And with figures showing that three-quarters of people in Sunderland have now received two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, there is a real push to make sure remaining residents get their covid jabs done, particularly among younger people.

So let’s all continue to do our bit, both individually and collectively, to help ensure the downward trend of cases continues.

A lot of hard work has been done but, as Gerry Taylor says, there is still much more to come.

We are not out of the woods and nobody should think otherwise. It has been great to see restrictions lifted and a sense of the ‘old normal’ returning.

So let’s ensure that continues to happen by doing everything we can to keep case rates falling.