Fifteen of the neighbourhoods in West Lothian have suppressed Covid-19.
Nicola Sturgeon announced more details of West Lothian and Scotland’s exit from lockdown today (March 16) and the latest figures revealed transmission continues to gradually decline in the county.
The latest Public Health Scotland data as of March 15 revealed that there had been 42 new infections reported in West Lothian.
And 172 cases were recorded in the county in the week between March 7 to 13, taking the total to 7098 since the first person tested positive in the area last year.
This means West Lothian has a seven day positivity rate of 94 per 100,000 of the population, compared to the national average of 73.
Under the Scottish Government’s new threshholds, to exit Level Three West Lothian would have to go down to 50 per 100,000.
If the county were ever to move up to Level Four again the infection rate would have to exceed 150 per 100,000.
As of the latest data the county remains the seventh most infectious place in Scotland for Covid-19.
Deans is the only neighborhood out of the 37 in West Lothian to sit in the highest zone on the PHS heatmap, with more than 400 cases per 100,000, having recorded 12 cases from their 2860 residents in the past week.
Craigshill with 17 infections in the past week and Blaeberry Hill, and East Whitburn with 12, sit in the second highest category with between 200 and 399 cases per 100,000 residents.
But, fifteen of the neighbourhoods in West Lothian have now suppressed the contagion over the past week, with fewer than two cases: Winchburgh, Bridgend and Philipstoun, Whitburn, Croftmalloch and Greenrigg, Seafield, Mid Calder and Kirknewton, Linithgow North, Linlithgow Bridge, Knightsridge and Deans North, East Calder, Carmondean and Eliburn North, Broxburn East, Broxburn South, Breich Valley, Blackridge, Westfield and Torphichen, Bathgate East and Bankton and Murieston.
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon started her daily briefing today by revealing she would be announcing a loosening of restrictions and that “brighter days are ahead of us.”
The First Minister said there were some changes that would be made from the start of April, including an ending to the ‘Stay at Home’ rule.
From Monday April 5, contact sports for 12-17 years old will resume, more further education students will be allowed to return to campus, the phased opening of non-essential retail will begin, click and collect services, garden centres and hairdressers and barbers will reopen.
She continued that they expect to have vaccinated all the priority groups by middle of April and it is then that Scotland will be able really open up.
From April 26 people travel restrictions will be lifted and residents in West Lothian will be able to travel anywhere in Scotland.
And journeys all across the UK are hoped to be permitted at this time but more news will come in the coming weeks.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We expect that from 26 April, restrictions on journeys within mainland Scotland will be lifted entirely.
“However, if restrictions on socialising and hospitality are relaxed more quickly and significantly on the islands, there may be a need to retain some restrictions on travel to and from the mainland - to protect island communities from the importation of new cases.”
All remaining retail, tourist accommodation, pubs, libraries and driving lessons will resume on April 26.
For more on today's briefing.
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