INFECTION rates are likely decreasing in the Test Valley area according to a Covid calculator.

A tool, devised by Imperial College London, predicts how many positive coronavirus cases will be recorded in each local authority area in England.

Currently, the map indicates that the Test Valley infection rate is decreasing with the probability of new infections increasing at just 15 per cent.

Test Valley is also not likely to be a hotspot by the end of the month, on January 17 the website states Test Valley had an 84 per cent chance that over 300 new positive cases of coronavirus would be recorded per week.

This significantly decreases by January 31, when Test Valley has just a 36 per cent chance of seeing more than 300 cases per week.

This is a positive step but lockdown easing is likely to be based on vaccination numbers rather than infection rates.

Boris Johnson has warned the UK is still in a “pretty precarious” position as ministers prepare for the easing of lockdown restrictions from early March.

The Prime Minister said the process would be gradual, with no great “open sesame” moment when curbs on freedoms are suddenly lifted.

He said decisions on loosening England’s stay-home order will be made based on progress in the vaccination programme, which had been “very encouraging” despite concerns that some parts of the nation are falling behind.

More than four million people in the UK have received a first coronavirus vaccine dose.

The Government is on track to vaccinate around 15 million high-priority people across the UK by February 15, including health and social care staff, the elderly and people in care homes.

Once those vaccines have taken effect, around two to three weeks later ministers will consider whether lockdown measures can be eased.