THE average age of people in Bradford testing positive for Covid 19 is now just 28 - highlighting the spread of the virus in schools.

Sarah Muckle, director for Public Health at Bradford Council, revealed the figure at a meeting of the Bradford South Area Committee on Thursday night, when members also heard that there has been 126 recent outbreaks of the virus in schools and educational settings.

Members heard that infection rates were currently higher in Bradford than they were at points during the second lockdown, which began in January.

Mrs Muckle said the upcoming school summer holidays would act as a "circuit breaker" that should reduce the spread, but believes infection rates are likely to rise again once schools and colleges return in September.

With many of the remaining Covid restrictions lifting on Monday, infection rates remain high across the country.

As of Thursday's meeting the infection rate was 331 per 100,000 people, although members were told that in some parts of Bradford the figure was as high as 500.

However, fewer people are dying of the virus.

Mrs Muckle told the committee: "Infections are currently higher than the peak we had in January.

Walk-in Covid vaccine centre opening at Broadway Bradford

"The average age of cases is now 28, so it is effecting younger people this time. A lot of older people have been vaccinated by now.

"Hospital admission rates are stable. Around 2.4 per cent of people with the virus are being hospitalised now. The hospitals are telling us that even with fewer people being admitted, those that are are more acutely ill when admitted. The pressure on hospitals is coming from that rather than having lots of people ending up in hospital."

She told members that infection rates had gone up 33 per cent compared to the previous week, although Bradford's rates were lower than the Yorkshire average of 390 cases per 100,000.

Earlier this year Bradford found itself second in a national "league table" of infection rates. However, now it was down to 81st, with other areas of the country including neighbouring Leeds facing much higher rates.

Mrs Muckle said: "Rates are increasing most in secondary school children and young adults. We dealt with 126 outbreaks in educational settings.

"The school holidays will act as a circuit breaker, but it is likely we will see cases rapidly increase in September."

Members were also given an update on vaccination figures for Bradford.

As of July 8 almost 370,000 people in the District had been given their first jab, around 73 per cent of adults.

And 56.6 per cent had received both jabs.

Mrs Muckle said: "The people we have left who haven't been vaccinated are young people, many of them think they are invincible and won't get ill.

"The other people not vaccinated are those who are really vaccine hesitant."

She said it was important that people remained cautious despite restrictions lifting on Monday, adding: "Restrictions might have gone away, but Covid hasn't.

"The message of hands, face, space will still apply, but we'll have to get more creative with those messages. National Government messaging is going to be moving more to compassion, more about how people should look to protect others. That is something we're trying to build into, and there will be a new comms campaign that starts on Monday."