As things stand, North Ayrshire would qualify for level one of the Scottish Government’s level system.

Case numbers came down for the second week in a row, with the current weekly total standing at 21 for April 23-29. That’s down nine cases from the week before.

No figures were published yesterday owing to the bank holiday so these statistics are not wholly up-to-date.

The new total gives the area a seven day rate per 100,000 population of 15.6. The threshold for level one is 20.

With the whole country moving to level three last week and plans for all of Scotland to move to level two on May 17, we asked the government if there would be a return of a more localised levels system like we saw in Autumn last year.

A government spokesperson said the plan is for the country to move through the system as one, but didn’t rule out a return to local levels.

They said: “All restrictions are kept under review and we are continually monitoring the data to get Scotland back to as much normality as possible as quickly as it is safe to do so. The First Minister has outlined the preferred path being all of Scotland moving together to Level 2 on Monday May 17, though at all stages easing of restrictions will be dependent on the data and conditions with the virus at the time.”

All but one (Irvine Perceton and Lawthorn) of the 38 neighbourhoods in North Ayrshire are classified as having suppressed the virus.

Of the adult population in the area 67.8 per cent have had a first dose of the vaccine and 29.1 per cent have had a second dose, too.