A health boss's warning over a potential rise in Covid cases due to the easing of lockdown restrictions is 'expected', readers said.

Cumbria’s director of public health, Colin Cox, said there would be a rise after the reopening of non-essential shops and other sites – such as outdoor areas in pubs.

He said: “Inevitably any increase in mixing will increase the amount of transmission. And those that are mixing are more likely to be those who have not yet been vaccinated.

“It would not be at all surprising to see a rise in cases from the reduction in lockdown regulations.

“It remains important to keep the spread of Covid-19 down, even among those who are less likely to be seriously ill if they contracted the virus.

“It’s important for everybody to keep transmission low and keep social distancing in place until the end of the vaccine programme.”

He said there were few cases recorded when pupils returned to schools in March this year after rigorous testing was brought in.

And Mail readers had their say after reading the news.

Graham Jeffers said: “Only to be expected.”

Anne Lowther said: “Just hope people do the right thing.”

David Kewley said: “They said that the same thing would happen when the children went back to school and it didn’t.

“Cases may rise but deaths will not rise as they did in the past because most vulnerable people have now been vaccinated.

“Cases not deaths.”

Desmond Sunflower said: “Let’s get on with it.

“The NHS is well and truly ‘protected’ from this virus now.”

Barrow Lad said: “Balancing against the number of tests one hopes. Double the tests, double the cases.”

Argonaut2 said: “It’s all just an experiment, easing of the lockdowns, see what happens next.

“Like shares, can go up or go down.”