UK registered more than 650,000 deaths in 2022 which has increased by 9% since 2019. The year 2022 witnessed excess deaths levels that have exceeded levels outside pandemic much more in 50 years.
Even though the rate is lesser than pandemic levels it is still a question as to why people are dying more than normally. The data shows effect of pandemic on health and NHS pressure being the leading reasons for death.
Are Excess Deaths side-effects of Covid?
It is pretty clear that covid is the reason for people’s death but it has also been observed that the deaths have reduced since pandemic. It has been noted that almost in 2022 the deaths have come down to 38,000 as compared to 2020 which were more than 95,000.
Despite this one cannot ignore the fact that the deaths we are experiencing are still more in history. The main difference in 2022 and 2021 remains that the COVID is just one of several factors of death in previous year.
The Crisis in Healthcare:
It was seen that the death rates had returned pre-pandemic levels at the beginning of 2022 but didn’t remain so till June. In June the rate began to rise and people waiting in hospitals was normal in winter.
The president of Royal College of Emergency Medicine also suggested shortage of urgent care can also be the reason for deaths in week. The NHS number in England remains unrecognised but the number of people waiting in A&E can help you somewhat determine the estimated deaths. It won’t be wrong to say that the chances of death are more because of the time taken for treatment due to waiting for an ambulance being stuck outside hospital or in A&E. It was recorded in November that it took 48 minutes for ambulance in England to respond to heart attack or stroke as compared to 18 minutes target.
The after effects of COVID infection are reason for people’s death in excess. The COVID after effects have shown that people are likely to have heart problems and strokes post covid and may not be traced to virus when the death is registered. A significant increase in treatments for blood pressure or statins to prevent future heart attacks can be seen to have plunged during the pandemic and a year later. The death had been found to be increased in men aged 50-64 more due to heart problems.
No Evidence that Excess Deaths are Vaccine Effect
There has been few who pointed out online that the rise in cardiac problems was due to Covid vaccines leading further to death but there is no data found to support the claim. A particular vaccine which was said to have side effect mainly for young men and boys and death in men of age 50 and above was also said to have less rise in heart inflammation and scarring. However in 2022 deaths causes have showed unvaccinated people were the most exposed to death than vaccinated people.
