Political leaders in Stockport have called on the Government to take the borough out of local lockdown.
Stockport currently has the lowest coronavirus infection rate in Greater Manchester.
At 11.2 cases per 100,000 people its rate is lower than Wigan.
But whereas Wigan was removed from local lockdown restrictions today (Wednesday), Stockport, which had just 33 cases in the week ending August 22, down from 63 in the previous week, is still subject to the measures.
Speaking at today's Greater Manchester coronavirus press conference, Stockport council leader Elise Wilson said the borough's infection rates were within the government's 'acceptable levels'.
She added: "Our infection data is showing a continued downward trend across all our areas.
"The levels that we have at the moment are within the government's acceptable levels. On that basis it's time now for the government to ease those restrictions
"It's important to say that the reason we are in this position, the reason we're showing that decline, is because of the hard work of the residents of Stockport.
"It is them that have followed the measures and it's them that have made this downward trend.
"It's important to mention that going forward we may see fluctuations again in infection rates.
"It's important to recognise that the schools are going back, but I am confident we have an outbreak management plan that is robust and will be able to address those issues as they come forward.
"But it's all still dependent on the people of Stockport continuing to follow public health advice, continuing to wash their hands, maintaining social distancing and really looking after each other, so that together we can all get through this and continue to keep those infection rates down so we are able to get on with our lives going forward."
Hazel Grove MP William Wragg said he was 'hopeful' restrictions would be eased this week.
He told the Manchester Evening News : "We are hopeful that a case can be made for removing Stockport from the local measures.
"The data backs it up, the rates of infection have been low.
"A lot of the letters I have had have been from people concerned that they have not been able to visit their elderly relatives.
"The impact on relationships, friendships and families has been one of my main concerns throughout this.
"I think it's really important to get some sense of relative normality back.
"We want to make sure that people can start going about their lives in as normal and as safe a way as possible."
MP Andrew Gwynne, whose Denton and Reddish constituency includes part of Stockport and Tameside, said: "I am not an epidemiologist and resent the Government now involving members of parliament in decisions which should solely be scientifically evidence-based and not political decisions.
"As tough as these additional restrictions have been, they’ve been necessary to keep the coronavirus suppressed as much as possible across Greater Manchester. At one stage it risked spiralling out of control again, and it’s still far too high in some parts of the conurbation.
"Stockport council assures me the data is robust and supports the lifting of restrictions across the borough, and I will support them in that decision.
"Representing a parliamentary constituency which straddles two local authorities, I am also assured by Tameside council that the data for this borough does not yet support the relaxation of measures, although it does thankfully appear to be moving in the right direction. I fully support Tameside in this decision too. I appreciate this will cause some difficulty at the seamless border where Reddish meets Denton, and people will be under different restrictions.
"I will however be watching closely at the local data in the coming weeks, particularly as the schools return."
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But Stockport MP Navendu Mishra called for a more cautious approach.
He said: "I understand the frustration that many people in Stockport feel. But I believe we have to take a cautious approach.
"Unfortunately we still have areas of Stockport where the levels are high and they are mainly in my constituency.
"The first and foremost thing has to be health and safety, especially a week before the school's go back.
"And unfortunately we have a test and trace system that is an unmitigated disaster.
"We don't want a situation where we ease restrictions, then in 10 days or two weeks' time there's a massive rise in cases."
