Easing Covid-19 rules last month appears to be strongly linked to an explosion of coronavirus infections across the region.
Dumfries and Galloway was moved down to protection level 1 on December 11 after a sustained period of low case numbers.
The Scottish Government had previously resisted calls from the hospitality industry and opposition politicians to relax restrictions.
The move meant pubs, cafes and eateries could again serve food and alcohol in line with normal licensing rules, up to 10.30pm.
The relaxation came with a health warning from the First Minister that “a cautious approach” was still needed.
Travel bans to and from high risk areas and across the Border remained in place except for essential journeys.
However, within days disturbing signs emerged that the virus was on the march as Christmas approached.
By early in the New Year, Dumfries and Galloway had the highest Covid infection rate in Scotland – with the Annan-Gretna corridor and Stranraer particularly badly hit.
Weekly cases peaked on January 4 at 822 – 552 new infections per 100,000 people – when a staggering one in six people were testing positive for Covid,
On the same date, coronavirus cases were 27 times higher than the day region moved to level 1, when just two out of 100 people tested positive.
National figures revealed that from being one of the safest in Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway became the worst.
It is unclear if the December 11 announcement resulted in people becoming careless in observing physical distancing rules or whether others disregarded restrictions to travel unlawfully into and out of the region.
What is certain is that within four days Covid infections began to rise steeply.
It has also been suggested that the November 24 four-nation decision to permit five-day family get-togethers over Christmas sent out the wrong message.
The relaxation was cut back in Scotland to Christmas Day as infections soared.
Dumfries and Galloway moved up from level 1 to level 4 – the highest on the protection scale – on Boxing Day.
Full lockdown followed on January 5, the day after the pandemic peaked in the region.
Since then, there has been a steady decline in the infection rate under lockdown.
Latest figures show that seven-day case numbers stand at 277 – one third of the peak but still NINE TIMES higher than on December 12.
The infection rate of 184 per 100,000 people was a third of that recorded at the pandemic’s peak.
Extra days are now being set aside for residents to attend a testing centre at Kilngreen car park at Langholm.
