This time last year, prime minister Boris Johnson was on the verge of announcing an end to the four-week national lockdown introduced in November.

This would be the country's second lockdown of 2020, before 'tiers' were introduced in December and a third lockdown loomed.

The festive period would come to be defined by the Christmas 'bubble' situation and tier four restrictions that was announced a few days before Christmas, which prohibited families mixing.

During the third national lockdown in January, the UK's successful vaccine rollout eventually helped cases to plummet.

Weston Mercury: The map indicates the reported case rates in each area of Somerset.The map indicates the reported case rates in each area of Somerset. (Image: Public Health England)

The picture in North Somerset during the November restrictions showed that case rates was four-and-a-half times higher than compared to the first lockdown in March, with an initial surge in coronavirus cases peaking at a rate of 305.5 per 100,000 in a seven-day period.

Compared to cases this year, in the seven days up to November 20 cases stood at 410.5 per 100,000 people, according to government figures. This is up by 2.1 per cent in the week leading to November 13.

The picture nationally shows case rates to be slowly rising at a seven day average of 433.8 per 100,000, up nearly 10 per cent. Figures released today show the UK has recorded over 50,000 for the first time in a month.

For the Sedgemoor district, government figures show case rates are down 5.8 per cent in the seven days leading to November 20 at 444.7 per 100,000 people.

In the area, almost every region in Somerset now has more Covid cases compared to this time last year, apart from Uphill where cases are down 29.4 per cent in the seven days leading to November 21.

Cheddar and Axbridge have the highest case figures for the area which is up 128.6 per cent at 691.5 per 100,000 people in the seven days to November 13.

The lowest coronavirus case rates come from central Clevedon which is down 32 per cent compared to last weeks figures.

The Winscombe, Langford and Blagdon area is down 31 per cent during the same period. Case rates for Wrington is down 26.3 per cent also.

Are you surprised by the case rates in your area? Let us know in the comments.