WAVERLEY notched a record 100 new Covid cases in a single day on Tuesday, December 22 – the first time the borough has reached the gloomy landmark since the pandemic began.

It came just a day before the borough followed the rest of Surrey and neighbouring Hampshire (excluding the New Forest and Isle of Wight) into Tier 4 ‘Stay at Home’ restrictions – with East Hampshire also recording its highest number of cases in a single day, with 65, on December 21.

Both Waverley and East Hampshire had escaped the first round of Tier 2 restrictions in the week before Christmas, meaning residents could mix with up to three other households indoors on Christmas Day.

However, spiralling infection rates – both in the south east and locally – as well as the rate in the over-60s, and the pressure on the NHS, prompted both areas to enter Tier 4 on Boxing Day.

The new measures are closely aligned to the national November restrictions, and mean:

* No household mixing inside (apart from within a support bubble)

* Residents must only meet with a maximum of one other person from another household outdoors

* All non-essential shops, personal care, indoor gyms as well as hospitality venues closed.

According to the latest government data, Waverley averaged 367.3 Covid cases per 100,000 head of population in the seven days to Christmas Eve, while East Hampshire averaged 299.2.

This is by far the highest case load both areas have recorded to date – but still significantly lower than the England average of 408.3 cases per 100,000 in the seven days to December 24, and the South East average of 498.8.

* See this week’s Herald, on sale New Year’s Eve, for the latest on the area’s vaccine rollout.