Coronavirus cases in Stevenage and North Hertfordshire have continued to fall, as shops, barbers, pubs and more reopened on Monday, April 12.

In Stevenage, there have been 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 between April 7 to April 14, with seven fewer cases compared to the prior week.

The rate per 100,000 in Stevenage is 50.3, higher than the national average of 28.6. There have been almost 6,000 positive COVID-19 cases in Stevenage (5,989) since records began.

Sadly, two people have died with COVID-19 on their death certificate in Stevenage in the last 28 days, taking the town's total to 166.

For North Hertfordshire, 16 people have tested positive for the virus between April 7-April 14, down 10 from the previous week's data.

The rate per 100,000 in North Herts is 34.3, marginally higher than the national average of 28.6. There have been 6,338 confirmed coronavirus cases in the district since the pandemic began.

Sadly, one person has died with COVID-19 on their death certificate in the last 28 days in North Herts, taking the district's total to 316.

People have been flocking back to town centres in Stevenage, Hitchin and Letchworth this week, as lockdown restrictions eased as per step two of the government's coronavirus roadmap.

And it was all smiles as readers shared their first pints, haircuts, swims, customers and more on Monday.

Nationally, vaccination totals continue to rise - with 40 million people now having been given either one or two shots of an approved vaccine in the UK.

But not everyone in Stevenage is keen to take up the vaccine, as this newspaper conducted a special report into 'vaccine hesitancy'.