Covid restrictions are likely to have all but vanished by the end of February - and the latest Government data shows huge falls in the case rates around the North East as the impact of Omicron wanes.
Our area has no "blackspots" at all any more - places where there have been more than 1,600 cases per 100,000 people in the last seven days - and compared to a month ago, far fewer cases are being reported.,
According to the latest figures for the seven days to February 5, only 25 out of the 252 "medium super output areas" (MSOAs) - which are roughly analogous to postcode areas - saw more cases in that week than the one before.
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On January 8, not a single area had a case rate lower than 1,100 per 100,000 people - with some places like South Tyneside's Boldon Colliery (4,264.7), and the Sunderland areas of Lakeside and Farrington (4,188.7) and Silksworth (4,070.9) seeing staggeringly high rates.
Now, the data from February 5 shows just 18 areas with rates above 1,000.
The lowest rates are in places like Mustoe (289.5) in South Tyneside and Alnwick (309.1) in Northumberland.
The worst hit are currently Durham City (1,184.2), High Shincliffe and Bowburn (1,348.9) and Newton Aycliffe West (1,172.4) in County Durham, alongside Howdon (1,166.6) and Willington Quay (1,140.1) in North Tyneside.
This week Boris Johnson announced his plan to - when the House of Commons returns from recess on February 21 - bring forward the date at which the Covid laws mandating self-isolation if you test positive cease to apply.
He told Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday: "Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions – including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive – a full month early."
Hospitals in our region are also reporting much lower levels of hospitalisation than those seen during the Omicron peak.
Dame Jackie Daniel, chief exec at the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust said last week there were "now around 50" patients with Covid in Newcastle's hospitals - down from a peak of more than 150.
These are the 10 areas in our region to have seen the biggest fall in case rate over the last month.
Boldon Colliery (South Tyneside) - On January 8 the case rate was 4,264.7, on February 5 it was 643.1. That's a fall of 3,621.6.
Lakeside and Farrington (Sunderland) - On January 8 the case rate was 4,188.7, on February 5 it was 690.8. That's a fall of 3,497.9.
Silksworth (Sunderland) - On January 8 the case rate was 4,157.8, on February 5 it was 710.6. That's a fall of 3,447.2.
Herrington and Doxford (Sunderland) - On January 8 the case rate was 4,070.9, on February 5 it was 630.9. That's a fall of 3,440.
Hebburn West (South Tyneside) - On January 8 the case rate was 3,854, on February 5 it was 517. That's a fall of 3,337.
Hall Farm (Sunderland) - On January 8 the case rate was 3,916.6, on February 5 it was 59.9. That's a fall of 3,323.7.
Hebburn West (South Tyneside) - On January 8 the case rate was 3,854, on February 5 it was 517. That's a fall of 3,337.
Woolsington and Airport (Newcastle) - On January 8, the case rate was 3,941.1, on February 5 it was 715.6. That's a fall of 3,225.5.
Houghton West (Sunderland) - On January 8, the case rate was 3,964.3, on February 5 it was 739.3. That's a fall of 3,225.
Low Fell East (Gateshead) - On January 8, the case rate was 3,849.3, on February 5 it was 650.6. That's a fall of 3,198.7.
Blyth Newsham (North Tyneside) - On January 8, the case rate was 3,962.4, on February 5 it was 847.5. That's a fall of 3,114.9.
