MORE than 6,000 people in Wiltshire were pinged by Track and Trace in one week, according to official figures.

NHS figures show that 6,614 Wiltshire residents were notified to self-isolate by the Covid app in the week up to July 21, the latest data available.

This is a rise of 23 per cent on the previous week when the same figure was 5,365.

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Public health consultant, Hayley Mortimer said the council recognises a large number of people were getting pinged and the impact it was having on people but that it remained an essential tool to reduce further spreading of Covid-19.

“From 16 August, those double-jabbed individuals and under 18yrs will no longer be required to self-isolate if they have been identified as a contact of someone with the virus,” she added.

“The vaccination roll-out remains a significant measure in helping to inform the decision-making around restrictions and enabling us to get back to the things we have missed, therefore we continue to encourage those eligible to have their vaccination.

“Despite restrictions easing, the threat of the virus remains particularly to those not vaccinated. Covid-19 has hospitalised unvaccinated young, fit people and the life threatening implications are not exclusive to older, more vulnerable people.”

The public health consultant added that all of the Covid jabs had gone through robust clinical trials before being signed off by MHRA.

“Covid-19 vaccinations are highly safe and effective at protecting individuals and their loved ones from the implications of the virus including hospitalisation, long term illness and death, which are far worse than any side effects associated with vaccines,” Ms Mortimer concluded.

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According to government data 378,998 people in Wiltshire have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccination. This is the equivalent to rund 88 per cent of the county's population.

Of those 302,759 (70.4 per cent) second doses have their way into the arms of Wiltshire residents.

However, cases across the county are still high as in the last seven-days up to August 2, there were 1,359 new cases of coronavirus in Wiltshire.

This means that the case rate per 100,000 people is 271.8. For perspective, last summer a rate of 20 was considered high.