Key findings from Public Health England’s report on Covid-19 deaths
As we get deeper into this pandemic worrying patterns are starting to emerge. This article is interesting in its own right, but it also makes me reflect on whether there are some differential impacts affecting rural dwellers. This story tells us:
The inquiry into disparities in the risk and outcomes of Covid-19 commissioned by the Department of Health identifies major inequalities, confirming that – contrary to the popular refrain – we are not all in this together.
Mortality risk from Covid-19 is higher among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people.
The Public Health England (PHE) review confirms that the risk of dying among those diagnosed with Covid-19 is higher in those in BAME groups than in white ethnic groups.
After accounting for the effect of sex, age, deprivation and region, it found that people of Bangladeshi ethnicity were at most risk, with around twice the risk of death than people of white British ethnicity. People of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, other Asian, Caribbean and other black ethnicity had between 10% and 50% higher risk of death when compared to white British. The risk of mortality for people of Bangladeshi ethnicity was in line with other research, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), but for other ethnicities it was generally lower.
In previous years, all-cause mortality rates were lower in Asian and black ethnic groups than in white ethnic groups, PHE said, meaning that mortality risk for Covid-19 was a reversal of what had been seen in the past.
Diagnosis of Covid-19 among BAME people is also greater.
When adjusted for age the highest diagnosis rates (which does not necessarily correlate with incidence) of Covid-19 were in people of Black ethnic groups (486 in females and 649 in males) and the lowest were in people of white ethnic groups (220 in females and 224 in males).