Cases of Covid-19 are decreasing and are now around the same level as they were in September, the city’s director of public health has said.

However, Greg Fell has warned that the pandemic “isn’t over” and urged people to stick to lockdown rules.

Cases are now below 100 per 100,000 and continuing to decrease.

The number of deaths and hospitalisations are also falling down and that is believed to be an “impact” of the vaccine and the lockdown.

Up to now, over 200,000 people have had the first dose, meaning that more than a third of the population got the first dose of the vaccine.

However, Dr Fell warned that the first dose of the vaccine does not fully protect, meaning that you still have to follow the rules.

He said: “The first dose of vaccine starts the process of building up protection, but the second dose is the thing that seals the deal.”

From Monday, the rules on meeting another person outside of your household have been loosened up, allowing people to meet one person from another household for a coffee or a picnic. However, the two metre rule and stay at home guidance will stay in place with limited exceptions until at least March 29, when lockdown will be further eased.

School and college students also returned to the classroom on Monday after spending at least two months at home doing online lessons.

All schools and colleges must test their students for COVID-19 twice a week, including all the teachers and staff working within the premises, in order to sustain the spread of the virus.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We all know that the education of our children is so important that the greater risk now is keeping them out of school for a day longer.”