KEEPING track of the ups and downs of the pandemic can be tiring, with new information and changes on a regular basis.

In case you missed anything along the way, we’ve put together the Covid-19 headlines (good and bad!) in Andover this week to help you get caught up:

  • Deaths at Nursing Home

A number of residents have died at an Andover care home following a Covid outbreak, the Advertiser reported on Monday.

Sources told the Advertiser that at least five residents have died at Andover Nursing Home, located on Weyhill Road, as a result of the outbreak, with others having tested positive for the virus. When this was put to Andover Care Limited, which runs the home, they did not dispute this.

The home is being supported by Public Health England, who said they had been informed of deaths at the home but were unable to provide an exact figure at this time.

  • First case of South African Covid variant detected in Hampshire

On Saturday, a positive case of the South African variant of Covid-19 was detected in the Bramley area, north of Basingstoke. It was the first such case in Hampshire.

Hampshire County Council has quickly introduced rapid local testing, known as surge testing, in areas where cases of new COVID-19 variants have been detected.

The test will be delivered in an envelope to people residing near the positive case of mutant variant.

  • Aged over 65? You can now book your vaccine

On Friday, it was announced that people over the age of 65 who have not yet been offered a Covid jab are being encouraged to contact the NHS to arrange an appointment.

The health service in England has changed its messaging from “we will contact you” to “contact us” for those over the age of 65.

  • Breaking travel rules could land you a £10k fine

Holiday makers breaking Covid restrictions could be slapped with a £10,000 fine and 10-years in prison in new legislation designed to stop new variants entering the UK.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced on Tuesday that new fines and prison sentences for travel rule breakers will be introduced, alongside a cost of £1,750 for all arrivals who are required to quarantine in hotels.

New £10,000 fines will be dished out to international arrivals who fail to take Covid-19 tests and those who lie on their passenger locator forms now face up to 10 years in jail.

  • GP note needed

GPs will be able to provide written proof for those who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 who want to book a holiday, it was revealed on Tuesday.

The news comes after the government confirmed that the idea of state-issued vaccine 'passports' will be scrapped.

  • Decline in Test Valley cases

The latest Covid-19 test results showed on Wednesday that there has been a dramatic fall in cases across Andover and the wider Test Valley, with only one area seeing an increase.

Many areas have seen dramatic falls, with Andover South seeing the largest fall of some 32 cases – an almost 60 per cent decline

In the week leading up to February 5, Test Valley recorded 242 cases, a decrease of 159 from the week before, with a rolling rate of 191.8 cases per 100,000 people.

  • 100k patients in a month

Hospitals in the UK admitted more than 100k Covid patients in January alone, new figures reported on Thursday have revealed.

This was almost one third of all patients who have needed hospital treatment for Covid since the pandemic began last year.

The total number of patients who were admitted to hospital for Covid is 242,307, which compares with 101,956 in January alone.

  • Praise for town’s compliance

Police in Andover praised residents after patrolling the town on Thursday.

Officers had been conducting the patrols as part of the enforcement of Covid-19 regulations, and had been visiting a variety of shops and businesses as part of their work.

They gave the town a thumbs up for its work, adding the hashtag “together we can do this”.

  • 4,000 vaccines in county

Nearly 400,000 Covid vaccine doses have been administered in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, statistics revealed on Thursday.

Healthcare professionals across the two counties have administered 397,827 doses since December.

The number increased by 94,624 in the last week, and are correct as of February 7, 2021.

The region has seen the fifth highest number of doses given, sitting behind Cumbria and North East, Cheshire and Merseyside, Great Manchester, and West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

  • 88% of contacts reached

Figures reported on Thursday show that 88 per cent of people transferred to the NHS Test and Trace system were reached in Hampshire in the space of eight months.

Between May 28, 2020, and February 03 this year, 54,419 people were transferred to the contact tracing system.

Of these, 47,705 were reached by the Test and Trace system, equating to 88 per cent.

  • Ahead on vaccinations 

Hampshire residents aged 65 to 69 have already started to be given Covid-19 vaccines, it was revealed on Friday, as others across England begin to receive invites.

The Government says vaccines can be administered to those in this age group if GPs have done all they can to reach those at higher risk.

But in Hampshire, medics have already begun vaccinating the over-65s with their first dose after they reached everyone in the top four priority groups – including the over-70s and care home residents – who wanted a jab.