The nature of Swindon’s economy, with many people in manufacturing and logistics jobs that can’t be done from home, has driven Swindon’s high rates of Covid-19 infections.

That was one lesson from the annual report to Swindon Borough Council from its director of public health,.

Steve Maddern, who took on the role not long before the pandemic was declared at the start of last year told members of the health and wellbeing board: “This report is about one thing really.”

He said: “Much of the time, local case rates were driven by the working age population in Swindon, many of whom were still going to work and balancing the demands of needing to earn money in an economy that depended on car sharing and multi-occupancy households, both risk factors for Covid-19.

"Often the most obvious spread was within households - isolating in small houses proving challenging time and again.”

More than 50 per cent of those people who tested positive worked in five main occupations, with health and care workers and those who work in warehouses making up 10 per cent of all cases each.

When outbreaks occurred, they were most often in factories, warehouses, offices or supermarkets.

Mr Maddern said his team had tried to determine the less tangible effects of the pandemic, running a survey of residents that attracted more than 800 responses.

He said: “The survey found that people did follow the national guidance, but it was not always easy to understand.

“More than half of people felt their mental health and well-being had got worse and there were concerns about financial and social support.

He added: "Most people expressed the view that life would not return to what it was like before within one year, although this was not always negative.”

In fact not everyone thought lockdown itself was entirely negative.

Mr Maddern said: “About one in three agreed that lockdown had brought about positive change, were confident of being happier over the next year and that their life would improve.

“Priorities for the future mostly focused on exercise, spending more time with family and friends, and following a more balanced and healthy diet.”

Mr Maddern ended his report with a positive note.“I promise next year this won’t be a Covid report.”

But it concluded: “Swindon: It’s up to all of us.”