Preston's Covid rate is nearly double the national average
Health bosses in the city are urging people to continue to stick to the rules
Last updated 5th Mar 2021
The leader of Preston Council has written to the health secretary calling for the city to be prioritised in the vaccine rollout.
Coronavirus infection rates are decreasing across the country, but in Preston, the latest figures show that the rate is nearly double the national average at 178.9 per 100,000.
The rate in England as a whole is 91.4 per 100,000, putting the city in the top 10 areas for rate of infection.
Health bosses are also urging the community to continue to stick to the Covid restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.
The data shows that the infection rate is still high in age groups that haven't had a vaccine yet including those aged 30 to 50.
Councillor Matthew Brown, Leader of Preston city Council, said:
“It has been a very difficult year and we’re all excited for life to get back to normal which we hope will be very soon.
“But until then we all need to keep doing our bit to protect one another and reduce infections in the city. The rates are going down, but Preston continues to have higher rates than those of our neighbours and many other areas in the country. We need the whole community in Preston to help lower the rate so that we don’t have any delays on the national lifting of restrictions.
“The best way to drive down infections is to follow the restrictions and reduce social contact with others. It’s also vital that you get tested if you are feeling unwell and we’re pleased that more testing options are available in our communities.
“Once you receive your offer of a vaccine I implore you to take this up as this is the best way to protect yourself against the virus.”
Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, Director of Public Health and Wellbeing for Lancashire County Council, said:
"It's now been a year since the first Covid cases in Lancashire. We know that people want to see their family and friends again, but we all still need to keep taking care, so that we can get back to doing this again more quickly.
"We're still seeing lots of cases in younger and working-age people, who haven't received a vaccination. Covid is still very much with us, so we all need to keep taking care to protect each other."