UK health chiefs change the way they record Covid deaths – and it means the official figure has risen by 4,000

UK health chiefs change the way they record Covid deaths – and it means the official figure has risen by 4,000

How the UK counts Covid deaths has changed from today in a new launch about life after the pandemic.

The main toll only includes deaths where the corona virus was mentioned on a death certificate.

This means an end to the method of counting everyone who died within 28 days of a positive test.

The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) review will raise the primary death toll from Covid by nearly 4,000.

COVID DEATHS IN ENGLAND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC: Only deaths where coronavirus is listed on a death certificate are now included in the main toll. This means an end to the method of counting everyone who died within 28 days of a positive test

But experts predict that there will be thousands less Covid deaths in the future.

An average of 142 occurred per day over the last full week of data in England using the 28-day positive test method. In comparison, 87 were reported in the same game with the new one.

The UKHSA claimed the gap between the two countries had steadily widened over the past year.

It added that the new method is a “more reliable indicator” of the actual situation “at this stage of the pandemic”.

COVID DEATHS LAST YEAR IN ENGLAND: During the last full week of data in England, an average of 142 occurred per day using the 28-day positive test method.  In comparison, 87 were reported in the same game with the new one

COVID DEATHS LAST YEAR IN ENGLAND: During the last full week of data in England, an average of 142 occurred per day using the 28-day positive test method. In comparison, 87 were reported in the same game with the new one

COVID DEATHS IN ENGLAND OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS: The UKHSA claimed the gap between the two figures had steadily widened over the past year.  It added that the new method is a

COVID DEATHS IN ENGLAND OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS: The UKHSA claimed the gap between the two figures had steadily widened over the past year. It added that the new method is a “more reliable indicator” of the actual situation “at this stage of the pandemic”.

Q&A: What does the change mean?

What is the new, official way of counting Covid deaths?

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) lists these as ‘deaths with Covid on the death register’.

It replaces “deaths within 28 days of a positive test”.

Where is the difference?

Under the new method, it is based on deaths collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). These represent deaths where the doctor has decided that Covid is somehow to blame. As a result, it will be delayed by about two weeks.

Previously, the primary method – which the UKHSA said was “useful for rapid surveillance of a pandemic” – was to count anyone who died within four weeks of registering a positive test.

How has the official death toll changed?

Under the new method, 183,898 deaths have been recorded in England since the pandemic began.

The death toll from the old method, which was introduced even after setbacks in the original counting system, currently stands at 180,091.

“With high levels of immunity in the community and Covid still circulating, it is not unusual for people dying from other causes to acquire Covid infection at or around the time of their death,” the agency said.

“These deaths will be reported in the ‘death within 28 days of positive test’ measure, but will not be counted on death certificates.”

In the latter method, clinicians recording death decide which factors they believe are responsible. Think of heart disease, dementia or Covid as the main causes.

The virus itself may also be listed as a contributing factor if the doctor determines that it played a role in the victim’s death.

Although the UKHSA has changed the primary way deaths are counted, officers will continue to track both counting systems.

Officials switched to the 28-day positive test method in England in August 2020 due to concerns that the original method inflated the death toll too high.

Critics revealed that health chiefs assumed people had died of Covid if they tested positive at any stage.

In theory, the “statistical error” meant that “no one with Covid in England should ever recover from their illness”, as they “still count as dead, even if they’ve had a heart attack or been hit by a bus three”. ” Months later’.

More than 5,000 dead were shaved off in the first revision.

The current Covid wave has fizzled out in recent weeks, despite warnings that the ‘cracking’ could put further pressure on the NHS.

Some experts wanted the government to lift pandemic-era restrictions to curb the contagious strain.

Despite the blip, advisers have warned that the virus will be in society forever. This means more waves are inevitable.

Yet health chiefs are adamant that Britain will not have to return to draconian measures until a doomsday scenario strikes.

This is thanks to the wall of immunity built up by vaccines and numerous waves that have drastically blunted the virus and turned it into a milder illness more akin to the flu.

Health chiefs also announced this week that they are phasing out the universal vaccination programme.

It was another step towards life after the pandemic, and advised ministers to stick to targeted seasonal vaccination campaigns rather than the current 365-day-a-year system.

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