UK deaths down, but unions square up
The drop in the UK daily death toll for Covid 19 has been swift, but not unsurprising. Even with care homes and other non-hospital related fatalities, the last three days (315, 288 and 693) have been well down on the peak (1,172, April 21st).
Today’s ONS weekly report for deaths registered in England and Wales again points to ‘under reporting’. The UK Government appears conflicted, still worried about a second peak ‘that will overwhelm the NHS’.
This is rather curious, however, given that none of the Nightingale hospitals has thus far been used. Wave one did not overwhelm the NHS – indeed, the excess capacity was remarkable. Around 40% of critical care beds across the country went unused. This statistic does not include the Nightingales.
It is true that personal protection equipment (PPE) has been in short supply. But it is not clear whether a lack of PPE was a significant, limiting factor in the treatment of Covid 19 patients. To be quite clear, as the British Medical Association complains, too many doctors have been forced to source their own equipment. However, the lack of fatalities for staff on the front line of dealing with Covid 19 is “notable, and plausibly may be due to scrupulous use of personal protective equipment (PPE)”.
In any case, there is time for the Government ensure the PPE provision is adequate so the NHS can deal with a potential second wave. Extending the lockdown is inflicting grievous harm on the economy, and on the post-1945 progress on mortality, which is now threatening to go into sharp reverse.
Summary
- The daily toll trends down, sharply
- Worker backlash?
- Jobs could be replaced by technology
