A year in numbers: one year has passed since the first coronavirus lockdown

A year on, and with only a couple of months of respite and relaxation, we are still in lockdown.

With nearly 40,000 people having tested positive in Lincolnshire up to March 21 and nearly 1,400 subsequent deaths, a mortality rate of 3.5 per cent, life is not expected to return to normal until July at the earliest.

However, there is hope on the horizon as more than half the population have now received their first doses of vaccine, a combined total of more than 461,237 jabs across all three regions as of Thursday, March 18.

Although there had been the odd story about a new virus sweeping the world from the start of the year, Covid-19 was not officially confirmed in our area until March 3, 2020 when two cases were reported in Lincolnshire.

There have been two official “waves” of the virus. As much as we thought the first wave was big, the second wave was even bigger, mostly down to more testing.

However, there were other factors blamed for the numbers as well, including factory outbreaks, major protests, kids returning to school, people tired of lockdown ignoring rules and festive relaxations.

Since then, as of March 21, Lincolnshire had 39,645 cases in total, and there have been 1,586 deaths.

At the height of the first wave, Lincolnshire saw 76 cases on one day in May. However, the county suffered far worse in the second wave, seeing more than 516 cases confirmed at its height on December 29.

While cases were spread fairly equally across the county, South Kesteven has seen the most with 7,125, while the lowest is West Lindsey District Council with 4,486.

West Lindsey saw its first case on March 12, 2020, and the first death was on April 3.

So far in Lincolnshire there have been 39,645 cumulative cases of coronavirus while, sadly, 1,586 people have died after contracting the illness.

In the past four months, however, the focus has switched slightly, with the first person in Lincolnshire to receive a vaccine on December 8, being 84-year-old Janet Judson. Janet followed in the footsteps of 90-year-old Margaret Keenan in being one of the first nationally to receive her first dose.

By January 11, 145,076 people in the UK had received their first dose of the vaccine, and by March 21 that figure had risen to 27,630,970, with 2,228,772 having had their first dose.

The latest reports for Lincolnshire, released on March 18, showed that 321,832 people had received their vaccine, more than 52 per cent of the eligible population.

With the government’s roadmap now on its way, schools have returned and people can leave their home for recreation and outdoor exercise.

By March 29, it is hoped further lockdown relaxations can take place including outdoor gatherings of six, outdoor sports facilities reopening and the end of the “stay at home” rule.

As we enter our second year of coronavirus, numbers will play a key part in ensuring we stay on the right path. Otherwise, we may face another year indoors.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​