THE NHS is likely to remain “at full stretch” for at least another six weeks, a leading health official said as he warned the Prime Minister against easing lockdown too quickly.

Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts in England, has written to Boris Johnson calling for a focus on “data, not just dates” when it comes to the Government’s approach to the route out of lockdown.

It comes as Public Health England said yesterday that the seven-day rolling rate in the City of York Council area in the week to February 11 was 92.1 per 100,000 population.

That is down from 97.8 on the previous day and from a peak of 670 in early January, but still higher than the average of about 65 in early-mid December.

The figure in the North Yorkshire County Council area was 101.4, down from 108.2 on Monday, while the figure yesterday in the East Riding of Yorkshire Council area was 126.9, down from 127.8.

The Prime Minister will scrutinise data this week on coronavirus case numbers, hospital admissions, deaths and the impact of the vaccine rollout as he prepares his plan to reduce restrictions.

Mr Johnson has said he will aim to give target dates for restrictions being eased when he sets out his plan next Monday, but “won’t hesitate” to delay plans if infection rates make it necessary.