Now that’s much better. Our seven day cumulative new infection rate has slowly declined and we’ve just gone into the white zone on the NHS map. That means less than three new infections in the week to 6 Mar 21. This is the sort of infection level which can make us confident about moving slowly out of lockdown over the next weeks.

It’s good news coming just one year from the early days of the first lock down last year. It was 16 Mar 20 when Johnson said ‘now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact and travel. That didn’t work and we entered the first lockdown 23 Mar 20.

But … schools have gone back this week and we are warned that this risks a flare up but that will only happen if pupils take an infection into schools. To state the obvious: schools themselves don’t cause infection, they enable it to be transmitted. It’s important therefor for us to do two things:

• Continue to practice good Covid behaviour so that we minimise transmission in the community. Remember the rules that continue to apply: hands, face and space; and
• Support the testing regimes for students going to school. It’s important to keep infection out of the schools so please make it easy for them to do this.

We are all getting out more with a little Spring weather and we are now allowed to sit down and enjoy a coffee (or tea) and more with one other. Sadly that’s still about it. No large groups, no relaxation of hands, face and space and no meeting up indoors. Please continue to respect these rules, we’ve come so far we should not risk the gains we’ve made.

The vaccination program has clearly gone well and we are told that those who have had their first jabs will be called for their second 10 weeks afterwards. That means notifications should begin to arrive 31 Mar 21 for those who got their first jabs in Milton.

The rest of the NHS is now doing its best to catch up with its non-Covid work and people who have a need for its services should please make contact. A little patience may be needed on the phone but our GPs and other parts of the NHS do want to hear from you. Give them a call.

The next important date is 29 Mar 21 when the ‘rule of six’ for outdoor meetings will return, outdoor sports facilities will reopen and organised outdoor sport can restart. The Parish Council will be opening the Rec and Histon Hornets will be playing its first games.

The Covid19 response team continues to meet and monitor the data and this confirms that we seem to be in good shape, at least for the present.

If anyone does need any help for any reason they should contact their street co-ordinator or call the HICOVID19 helpline on 01223 320420.

Click here for a pdf of this digest.