The low number of coronavirus cases, the dramatic fall in deaths and the successful rollout of the vaccine have brought the pandemic under control.

Data released in the past week continues to confirm this, and gives us reasons to feel more optimistic about the future.

Below are five uplifting updates based on the latest figures, information and research.

1. Care homes

In the week ending on April 19, no Covid-related deaths were registered in care homes across Wiltshire, the council said.

It is the first time no deaths were recorded since the week ending on November 4.

In the latest weekly period, only three homes reported new Covid cases.

Each of these had a single case only and at present there are no Covid outbreaks in any homes.

2. Schools

According to Wiltshire Council, rates in schools have continued to remain low.

However, there has been confusion around which tests to take.

Anyone who experiences the main Covid symptoms (a high temperature, cough, or a loss of taste and/or smell) is reminded not use a lateral flow test but book a PCR test instead and self-isolate until they get the result back.

Pupils and staff who are part of the asymptomatic school and college testing programme should test twice weekly with lateral flow tests.

Adults in a household with school children are also encouraged to test twice weekly with lateral flow tests which can be ordered online, collected from a participating pharmacy or local collection sites. 

3. Vaccine clinics

Wiltshire’s first mobile vaccination clinic – a specially adapted bus – will be taking to the roads from May 10.

It started its journey in Swindon on Thursday April 22 and is currently travelling across the region including Bath and North East Somerset.

The council says this tool will allow NHS staff to target areas that have had lower vaccination uptake.

A spokesperson said: "It is never too late for people to change their minds if they have previously declined a COVID vaccination, and this new mobile clinic will provide a boost in the efforts to protect those communities who, up until now, have been unsure of whether to have the vaccine."

4. Transmission

A new study from Public Health England (PHE) shows that a single dose of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines can slash virus transmission by up to half.

The study found that those given a single dose of a jab, and who became infected at least three weeks later, were between 38% and 49% less likely to pass the virus on to people living in their homes, compared to those who were unvaccinated.

The PHE study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, included over 57,000 people living in 24,000 households who were the contacts of a vaccinated person.

They were compared with nearly one million contacts of people who had not had a vaccine.

Experts will now assess whether two doses of vaccine can cut transmission of the virus even further, and more work is being carried out on transmission in the general population.

5. NHS app

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced today (April 28) that holidaymakers in England will be able to use the NHS app to prove their coronavirus status to destination countries.

Mr Shapps said the app – which is currently used to book medical appointments and order repeat prescriptions – will display evidence that someone has been vaccinated or recently tested.

He told Sky News: “I’m working internationally with partners across the world to make sure that system can be internationally recognised, as that’s the way forward.”

The European Union has previously set out plans for coronavirus vaccine certificates that could be used by UK holidaymakers this summer.

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