Coronavirus update from local health chief says B&NES now ahead of the average in UK for vaccinations

The planned closure of the key Cleveland Bridge in Bath may be delayed due to a coronavirus positive case among workers.

The bridge is undergoing repairs and was due to close fully on June 28, but councillors were told yesterday (June 17) that one of those working on the site had tested positive for Covid 19. So that full closure is not expected to happen on schedule, as it is not known how many of the workers will need to isolate.

Meantime, the Director of Public Health for Bath & North East Somerset Council, Becky Reynolds, has warned that cases are rising to levels last seen in October 2020.

In her regular update she wrote:

"It's clear that our Coronavirus infection rate is rising again. This is mainly because of the Delta variant that is much more transmissible, increased social mixing since some restrictions were lifted in May, and the larger proportion of younger adults in our population who until now have not been eligible for vaccination.

"At the time of writing, our rates are the same as they were in early October when they were also increasing. However, the huge difference between now and then is the vaccine.

"The vaccination programme is going really well in Bath and North East Somerset and our vaccination rate amongst people over the age of 35 is higher than the national rate. "

The latest figures for vaccinations (from the government site) for B&NES

First dose total : 116,665

Second dose total : 87,187

Total number of people who have received the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, reported up to Wednesday, 16 June 2021, 203,852