Shopping was cited as one of the most common sources of coronavirus infections in Watford in the last week, figures show.

While education settings were the most common places people believed they were catching the virus from in Hertfordshire, data compiled by public health officials showed that in Watford, shopping was cited as the main cause.

With case rates in Watford among the highest in the east of England, director of public health in Hertfordshire, Jim McManus, is hopeful the new lockdown, which sees non-essential shops closed, will help bring the rate of infection down in the town.

Agencies have put plenty of focus on Watford within the last month with targeted action taking place in the town centre.

More than 400 businesses in the town were visited by council officers and the police, while more than 100 were flouting face covering rules, with two fines issued by police.

Data shared by Mr McManus at a virtual media briefing on Wednesday showed education and shopping were the two most common sources of infection in the last week. This is based on information provided by the public, who recently contracted Covid-19, on where they believe they may have caught the virus.

In Watford, shopping was followed by care setting and then education.

In Hertsmere, education was the most common source of infection over the last week.

In Hertfordshire as a whole, education was the most common source of exposure, with 296 cases linked. Shopping very close behind with 289 cases.

This was then followed by restaurants and pubs (124 cases), exercise and outdoor sport, and care settings.

Hertfordshire’s director of public health Jim McManus says that – based on national infection levels – every trip to the shops is now likely to include contact with at least one person with the virus.

And Mr McManus says those who have been infected by Covid-19 while shopping have said they may not have properly ‘distanced’ in stores or taken the necessary precautions.

He said any cases picked up in hospitality settings were more often linked to pubs than restaurants, and added he was not aware of any cases in Hertfordshire linked to gyms.

Speaking specifically about the situation in Watford, which saw 173 cases in the seven days to October 31, Mr McManus said: “If people adhere to these measures, it will bring the level of the virus down.

“There has been a huge amount of work done in Watford. They’ve had the council, environmental health, trading standards, the police out.

“That was where we started the ‘education for shoppers’ campaign. If people adhere to the measures and don’t subvert them by having house parties, it will bring the cases down, I’m pretty confident of that.”

Public health officials and the police are urging people to obey the new regulations, which are in force across England.

Without the restrictions, Mr McManus says latest modelling suggests the number of Covid-19 deaths in the county could reach a peak of 32 a day in February.

But as a result of the restrictions it’s estimated that the peak daily death rate in the county could reduce to four.

In addition, it is said that that lower peak figure would not be reached until March.

And that would reduce deaths in the county overall – and take pressure away from hospitals.

The modelling estimates that the latest restrictions will reduce infection rates by 40 per cent.

That’s lower than the 70 per cent reduction in infection that is estimated to have resulted from the previous ‘lockdown’ in the Spring.

And the lower estimate is said to reflect the decision to keep schools and universities open.

Highlighting scientific evidence that pointed to the harm associated with not being in education, Mr McManus said there was a ‘balance’ to be made in whether to keep schools open.

“It is a virus transmitted by respiratory and droplet means – and we will always see young people with a higher level,” said Mr McManus.

“The government has chosen to keep education settings open so we will put everything we can to addressing it and making it as safe as possible.”

Support in place for education settings in Hertfordshire includes a seven day helpdesk and guidance, with support from infection control nurses, environmental health officers and health and safety managers.

And Mr McManus said the support being offered to schools in the county represented £1.2m in staff time and expertise.

Meanwhile executive member for public health and prevention Cllr TIm Hutchings has stressed that – even after four-weeks of further restrictions – the virus is “not going away any time soon”.

He said that even when it had gone there would be a further need to deal with the issues it had created.

The new month-long lockdown, which began on Thursday and ends on December 2, sees all hospitality and non-essential retail close.

The message from the government is to ‘stay at home’ with people allowed to leave for a small number of reasons including but not limited to for getting essential supplies, for medical reasons, for exercise, for work, or for education.

Police said extra patrols were out on Wednesday night but there were no major incidents to report.

However, seven people were each fined £200 for breaching coronavirus regulations.

Police were called to reports of people letting off fireworks in King George Recreation Ground in Bushey in the early hours of Thursday morning. Seven people aged between 19 and 22 were fined - and the fireworks were confiscated and destroyed.

Hertfordshire Constabulary warned as the country entered lockdown that anyone found to be knowingly breaking the rules can expect to receive a fixed penalty notice.