“It bothers me how many people don’t wear masks, especially in the big shops,” Andy Nin Allsop says.
Like many people, the motor mechanic is concerned about the impact of rocketing rates of coronavirus in his community.
The omicron variant has been spreading like wildfire in Standish, which has the highest infection rate in Greater Manchester.
He said 12 of his family members had Covid over Christmas. Most of them live in Standish.
The quiet Wigan village currently has one of the highest Covid infection rates in the country, with an infection rate of 3,162.7 per 100,000 people.
Ten areas in Greater Manchester are currently experiencing some of the highest Covid rates ever seen in the region, with infections climbing to over 3,000 per 100,000 people.
But despite these alarming figures, Standish North residents are conflicted over whether further measures are needed to tackle rising infections in the area.
Those living in the village say they are worried about the impact that rising infections could have on schools and local businesses.
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Raegan Brady, a Standish resident, said she wasn’t worried about catching Covid herself, but was concerned about the impact on education.
“My son takes his GCSEs in May, and they are so far behind where they should be as a year group due to all the lockdowns and remote learning,” she told the M.E.N.
“I think any more disruption would be severely detrimental at this stage.”
Sarah Fairhurst, a local business owner, said schools were also her main worry.
"My son hasn’t had a normal school year since year 6, and SEND children are suffering as they had most of their support taken away for almost a year."
Wigan is currently the city or large town with the highest number of cases, with 2289 cases per 100,000 people.
Wigan South follows Standish North, with a rate of 3,124.3.
However, some residents were less concerned.
David Heaton said he “definitely” wasn’t feeling wary or hoping for further restrictions.
“It’ll be another area in a few days time,” he said.
The other eight Greater Manchester areas with rates of over 3,000 are Droylsden West, Swinton South East & Pendlebury West, Stalybridge North, Wigan Marylebone & Bottling Wood, Swinton Worsley Road, Bredbury, Wigan Central, and Swinton West.
In comparison, the Greater Manchester area with the lowest infections in the week ending January 1st is Broughton Park in Salford, with 653 infections per 100,000 people - that’s just under 80% lower than the rate in Standish North.
Last time Covid rates were as high as this, the highest numbers were concentrated in student areas.
But this time, Fallowfield Central and University North and Whitworth Street are in the lowest ten areas of the region, with infection rates of 987.1 and 1000.4 respectively.
It comes as fears mount that the NHS is under immense pressure in the region.
Weekly admissions to hospital for coronavirus have ‘more than doubled’ in two weeks.
And 150 military personnel will now be deployed across the North West to join a struggling North West Ambulance Service.
They will be split between Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, and Lancashire, and will drive ambulances.
And earlier in the week, the M.E.N. reported how 'non-urgent surgeries' were cancelled at trusts across the region to deal with the increased demand.
