We are only days away from Christmas as people begin finishing work and children round off another term at school before the festive break.

But amid all the excitement, the last thing anyone wants is to catch Covid for the first, third or fifth time.

Spending one of the most wonderful times of the year wrapped up in bed with terrible symptoms of the virus isn’t the best way to end the year.

However, the most recent government data has revealed that four areas across Teesside have seen an increase in cases.

Stockton-on-Tees has seen the biggest jump in those testing positive with a rise of 10 Covid cases in the week leading up to December 9, 2023.

4 areas in Teesside see Covid case increase – see map

The latest data shows the Covid case rate per 100,000 people for seven days ending on December 9 in Teesside.

Middlesbrough

Total cases: 12

The GOV.UK map shows there are three more cases from the previous data, with a case rate of 8.5 per 100,000.

Stockton-on-Tees

Total cases: 17

The GOV.UK map shows there are 10 more cases from the previous data, with a case rate of 8.6 per 100,000.

Redcar and Cleveland

Total cases: 12

The GOV.UK map shows there is one more case from the previous data, with a case rate of 8.7 per 100,000.

Hartlepool

Total cases: 5

The GOV.UK map shows there are five more cases from the previous data, with a case rate of 5.3 per 100,000.

You can see the latest map showing all the most up-to-date Covid data across the North East on the GOV.UK website here.

The Northern Echo: When was the last time you had Covid?When was the last time you had Covid? (Image: Jane Barlow/PA)

‘Higher dose’ of Covid expected due to ‘lower antibodies’

The increase in cases comes as it’s now thought people are catching a “more severe bout of disease” as it’s been a while since the mass vaccination programme was rolled out, health professionals have warned.

Professor Eleanor Riley, an immunologist at the University of Edinburgh told the BBC: “People's antibody levels against Covid are probably as low now as they have been since the vaccine was first introduced.

“Now, because antibodies are lower, a higher dose [of the virus] is getting through and causing a more severe bout of disease.”

Prof Peter Openshaw, from Imperial College London, said although he is not a “doomster”, he thinks there will be "a lot of people having a pretty nasty illness that is going to knock them out for several days or weeks.”

The Northern Echo: It's thought a 'higher dose' of Covid is expected this winter It's thought a 'higher dose' of Covid is expected this winter (Image: PA)

He added: “The thing that made the huge difference before was the very wide and fast rollout of vaccines - even young adults managed to get vaccinated, and that made an absolutely huge difference.

"I'm also hearing of people having nasty bouts of Covid, who are otherwise young and fit. It's a surprisingly devious virus, sometimes making people quite ill and occasionally leading to having 'long Covid’.”

Professor Riley explained: "But that's not to say people who are under 65 are not going to get Covid, and are not going to feel pretty rough.

"I think the consequence of not boosting those people is we have more people who are off work for a week or two or three over winter."

Professor Openshaw went on to say that the viruses circulating now are “pretty distant immunologically” from the original virus which was used to make the early vaccines, or which last infected them.

"A lot of people have very little immunity to the Omicron viruses and their variants,” he said.