Covid: Two more people die with the virus in Bristol as restrictions dropped today

Two more Covid-related deaths have been recorded in Bristol as the government lifts all remaining restrictions to do with the virus from today.

New figures show that the number of coronavirus cases also increased by 302 in Bristol in the last 24 hours.

It brings the total cases confirmed in Bristol since the pandemic began to 140,814, and the total number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test to 666. These are among 9,103 deaths recorded across the South West.

The cumulative rate of infection in Bristol, which covers the whole pandemic, stands at 30,226 cases per 100,000 people, far higher than the England average of 28,201.

It comes as all Covid laws were scrapped today (Thursday, February 24), as they have now been replaced by the government’s ‘living with Covid’ plan.

The changes mean that people who test positive for the virus will no longer be bound by law to self-isolate and contact tracing will end along with free testing.

Businesses are now longer legally required to tell staff to self-isolate if they have Covid and support payments for people who hae previously self-isolated will end.

When BristolWorld asked residents if they thought it was too soon to end restrictions, opinion was divided.

Some felt the government were ‘jumping the gun a bit’, while others felt it was ‘time to move on’.