BARROW is one of 52 areas in the country that have recorded zero new Covid cases in the over-70s, according to the most recent data.

Vaccines and compliance with lockdown restrictions are being named as reasons for the near extinguishing of the virus in a number of areas across the country.

Barrow was one of two council areas in Cumbria to be completely Covid-free among over- 70s.

Eden has also recorded zero new cases in the past week according to the latest data compiled by The Times.

South Lakeland, Copeland and Carlisle all recorded one and Allerdale two.

Colin Cox, Cumbria’s director of public health, said it was testament to the enthusiasm of older people in taking up the jab and vaccine teams in administering it.

He said: “We are certainly seeing small cases in older age groups.

“And there are very few cases as a whole across the county.

“It’s really good news

“The uptake has been so big.

“It’s close to 100 per cent in older age groups.

“It shows how well delivered it has been and how keen people are to have it.”

According to the most recent data, three in five people in Barrow have received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

NHS data showed 33,690 people had received a vaccine jab by March 28 – equating to 61 per of those aged 16 and over, according to the latest population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

Of those vaccinated, 26,917 were aged 50 or over – 93 per cent of the age group.

It means 6,773 people aged between 16 and 49 have received a first dose of the vaccine.

Across England, 25.9 million people had received their first dose of a vaccine by March 28, covering 57 per cent of the population aged 16 and over.