Since last month, Birmingham has had some extra help to improve vaccination rates in areas with the lowest take-up.

Birmingham, like a number of other big cities, has some of the lowest vaccination rates in England.

Only London, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford and Cambridge have a (marginally) lower percentage of their populations vaccinated. Like Birmingham, they also have younger average populations.

Just 64% of people in Birmingham have had a first dose of vaccine up to 17 July. In the Staffordshire Moorlands and Malvern Hills, it stands at 89% and in nearby Bromsgrove, 88%.

However, Birmingham is also one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the UK and has one of the youngest average populations - both factors tend to affect vaccination rates.

Even within Birmingham, there is a big variation in take-up across the city.

The government's Middle Layer Super Output Areas data can sometimes differentiate from one street to another.

Dartmouth Circus and Selly Oak, with large student populations, have fewer than 18% of their total populations fully vaccinated, according to data up to 13 July.

Five Ways North, Digbeth and central Birmingham have fewer than 25% of their populations double-jabbed.

But, as you move towards the outskirts, particularly north of the city, the proportion of those who have had two doses increases - in Sutton Coldfield, Oscott, Four Oaks, Wylde Green and Walmley, it stands at over 70%.

BBC News Channel

A partner at a law firm in Birmingham says it has been "a funny day" with not all staff "rushing back to the office".

Beth McArdle, from Shoosmiths said on 1 July there were 100 people in the office, but today just 37.

"Our restrictions are all in place due to the infection, particularly in Birmingham.

"Day-to-day there is no change in the office for us, our priority is still keeping our people safe and feeling comfortable when they come in."

Birmingham has seen more total Covid-19 cases and more deaths than any other local authority area in England.

However, outside London, it also has the largest population in the country.

Its current rate has risen to 488 new infections per 100,000 people for the seven days up to 14 July - up from 375.

That compares with rates of 531 in Manchester and 491 in Liverpool.

Senior care worker Samuel Evans said of the lifting of most restrictions in England: "I actually think it's good, to be honest - I am not going to lie, I'm sick of it.

"Being able to be out free - I think it's good.

"I've worked through it. I'm on the front line. This is the first time I've had any time off [since the first lockdown] and I'm on annual leave.

"I'm going on holiday this week to Scotland and it's nice to be able to travel."

BBC News Channel

A Birmingham restaurant and brewery firm says a lot of people will "think twice" about visiting venues, despite most legal limits on social contact being eased in England.

The Indian Brewery founder Jaspal Purewal said lifting rules was "good for us because we're able to have more people in our establishment".

He said he believed "we'll have a return of workers especially for the lunchtime trade".

But he added: "I wouldn't say it will be back to normal just quite yet, it will take time.

"There will be a proportion of people returning as we know here in Birmingham, but there will still be a lot of people who will think twice about visiting, although the restrictions have been lifted today."

He said he prayed "things get better from here", adding: "We've been through a very dark time. We're grateful to still be here, but ultimately today for us is a step in the right direction."

Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

We've had lots of people asking us why are new cases so high in the UK

Unfortunately there's still a lot of us that can catch this infection.

Some people are catching it again even though they've had it in the past - that's rarer.

The vaccines are very good at protecting against hospital cases and deaths, where they're slightly less effective is at stopping any infections.

There's a chance even if you've had both your jabs you can still catch it and pass it on to other people.

More people from the Birmingham Muslim community have been getting vaccinated at a mosque as lockdown restrictions ease, according to an imam.

Image source, PA Media

Sheikh Nuru Mohammed said when residents knew the date for the relaxation of rules, the numbers shot up.

He expects more than 1,000 people to get the jab this week at the Al-Abbas Islamic Centre in Balsall Heath, which opened as a vaccine hub in January.

Among the residents coming in the past fortnight, many have been youngsters, Sheikh Nuru said.

"They are coming. When you go to the centre, the majority are 18 years old and above; the youth are coming," he said.

"Initially we were sceptical if they would get the vaccine but they are really coming and making us proud by taking the jab."

A police force is warning drivers to be extra careful following a "marked increase" in collisions at the end of June and beginning of July.

"This coincides with an increase in traffic flow with restrictions easing," Warwickshire Police said., external

Between 1 June and 9 July, the force said, four people died and 21 people were seriously injured as a result of collisions on Warwickshire’s roads.

"While these are provisional figures, there is real concern that numbers are rising back to pre-Covid levels and all road users are please asked to take extra care," a spokesperson said.

Giles Latcham
BBC Midlands Today

Pressure is again growing on some of our hospitals, as we head into the third wave of coronavirus.

During the early days of the pandemic, Wolverhampton was one of the first areas in the UK to record positive cases and deaths from the disease.

The chief executive of New Cross Hospital, Prof David Loughton, said: "I think our predictions are we're going to get about 25% of the numbers that we saw on the 27th of January as we go through the next peak.

"The difference though is the age range, they're now under 50 and we've got some people that are being hospitalised in their 20s."

"I'm pretty confident in what we have done in terms of modeling that it will be 25%ish of what we experienced in January and the NHS coped then, that does not mean that there isn't serious illness caused by Covid."

Prof Loughton added: "It's not freedom day here because we have got significant numbers of patients in who have got Covid and I've got to do everything I can to protect my staff and patients and visitors."

BBC News Channel

Rob Darby owns 200 Degrees Coffee Shop on Colmore Row in Birmingham.

He spoke to BBC News earlier and said he was "feeling fine" about the further easing of coronavirus restrictions in England.

"From our point of view we are not changing the way we look after our customers," he said.

"We are keeping all the regulations the same for all of our teams.

"In terms of observing the customers coming in, we are not enforcing that they are wearing face masks which is one of the things that obviously they don't have to do from today in terms of a mandatory sense.

"But our observation is nearly everyone has been wearing a face mask when they have come in which really pleases me."

BBC Midlands Today

A pub landlord in Stafford says it is a worrying time as restrictions are lifted in England.

Terry Cope says he doesn't feel ready to completely relax social distancing rules.

The Buttermarket in Shrewsbury opens for the first time since the pandemic started.

While some welcome the relaxation of rules, others are more cautious and pledge to wear masks.

The weekend saw a huge effort to try to vaccinate young people ahead of restrictions lifting.

Dozens of pop-up vaccination centres opened across the region, aimed at offering jabs without an appointment to those aged 18 and over.

Speaking on Friday, nurse Alex Arnott-Bowl, from University Hospitals Birmingham, said NHS staff had seen some hesitancy among younger people over vaccine uptake.

Because of the way the vaccine rollout has been implemented across the country, young adults have been the last to have access to vaccines, unless they have other health concerns.

As such they are far less likely to have been fully vaccinated compared with those aged 40 and above.

They are also seen as the most likely to mix at large-scale events.

In Birmingham, 43% of 18 to 24-year-olds have had a first dose of vaccine (up to 17 July), compared with 62% of 40 to 44-year-olds and 70% of those aged 45 to 49.

And just 14% of 18 to 24-year-olds have had a second jab - seen as key for the best protection against the current variants.

BBC Midlands Today

A soft play centre in Stoke-on-Trent is only raising its capacity by 10% despite Covid restrictions being almost fully eased across England.

Henry Flanagan, boss of Just Kidding, said: "We need to get our staff back up to the confidence levels that they've always been used to prior to lockdown.

"To bombard them with open floodgates would be wrong."

Here's how some of the regional newspapers are reporting the easing of restrictions on their patch:

• Coventry Live - Coventry steps forward as Covid restrictions lifted, external
• Stoke-on-Trent Live - Life in Hanley as face mask and social distancing laws ditched, external
• Worcester News - 'Freedom Day' in Worcestershire, external

BBC Midlands Today

We've been at Birmingham's New Street station to ask passengers how they feel about masks no longer being law.

West Midlands mayor Andy Street said earlier it's a "simple expectation" that those travelling around the region would still use face coverings.

Among them was a woman, in a mask, who told us: "I don't think anything's finished, nothing's over, nothing's different, so I'm keeping with mine, and most of my family and friends are agreeing; they're doing the same."

Another passenger took a different view, saying: "I'm cautious - I wouldn't go into a nightclub, but I'm quite happy on New Street station without a mask."

These two, however, both advocate face coverings on our transport systems.

One said: "I think you should wear a mask - it's just acceptable; keeps everyone safer."

The second added: "Everyone should be [wearing a mask] for the people that can't get vaccines... diabetic people, people who can't receive the vaccine - it's unfair if you get to stop wearing your mask and they are now put at risk."

A University of Warwick professor says although there are 50,000 plus cases of Covid-19 a day, we're not seeing "anything like" the wave of hospital admissions and deaths seen in January.

He said the "key thing" was "what's going to happen with those figures as we move onwards"?

Image source, University of Warwick

Suggesting there was context to add, Dr Mike Tildesley, associate professor in infectious disease modelling, told BBC CWR he had seen a lot of commentators over the last few days talking purely about case numbers.

"Obviously we don't want cases to go very, very high. That's also not good, particularly because it runs the risk of potentially new variants of concern emerging and of course record numbers of people being tagged by test and trace.

"But I think we also need to really focus down at this point with high levels of vaccine protection on what's going to happen to our hospitals, how many people are going to sadly die from the disease and I think that puts it a little bit more into context.

Facebook

Hundreds of you have been having your say on the BBC Midlands Facebook page, external as most legal restrictions on social contact are lifted in England.

There's a mixed picture. While some express relief, others sound a note of caution or just plainly think the move is a mistake.

Here's a roundup of your opinions...

Image source, Reuters

Matt Randall had this to say: "I, like a lot of sensible people, am a tad cautious, so will continue to wear a covering in small shops and busy indoor places like supermarkets."

Maxine Denton wrote: "Absolutely crazy. It will all be over in a couple of months and we’ll be in lockdown again."

But Sarah Holley added: "Looking forward to it and things starting to get back to normal finally."

A sentiment echoed by Ross Masters who said: "Good! We can’t keep moving the goal post! Time to get [on] with it!"

And Danni Morris posted: "Awesome, can't wait to actually be able to do stuff again, especially play/go to full gigs!"

You can keep letting us know your thoughts via Twitter, , externalFacebook , externaland email.

BBC Weather Watchers

With social restrictions eased, what are your plans today? Same as last week, or a new lease of life?

Whatever you've decided, it looks like it's a nice day for it according to these snaps from our BBC Weather Watchers.

Image source, videoman

Image source, Mikesnapper

Image source, Snapper Simon

Rob England
BBC England Data Unit

A few areas of the West Midlands are in the top 20 places in England with the highest rate of coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

Image source, Getty Images

North Warwickshire is number 11 on the list, with a rate of 792, up from 539 in the previous seven-day tally.

Solihull is also in the top 20, with a rate of 729 per 100,000 in the seven days to 14 July, up from 478.

Tamworth, which has been in the top three in the past, takes the penultimate spot in the top 20, with a case rate of 703, down from 763. It is only the second area in the top 20 to see a drop in cases.