District has highest COVID death rate, and oldest population too
Residents in East Lindsey are at the highest risk of death from COVID-19 nationally according to the latest figures — with health bosses putting the figure down to the age and health of the population.
According to the government’s latest coronavirus statistics on January 20, the authority’s 316 total death tally since the start of the pandemic is equal to 6.16% of its 3,660 case total, the highest national deaths percentage.
The elderly population has been known to be the most affected by the virus due to the nature of its effects on the respiratory system.
Lincoln has the lowest COVID death rate across the Greater Lincolnshire region and ranks 223 nationally.
It had 5,697 cases since the start of the pandemic and 149 deaths – a death rate of 2.62%, meaning city residents less likely to die with COVID.
Lincolnshire’s Director of Public Health Professor Derek Ward said: “Areas with older and/or less healthy populations have more deaths from their total cases, because a larger proportion of cases are in people who are older and/or have underlying health conditions.”
“The same is true of the death rate per 100,000 people. Neither take into account age or underlying conditions in their calculation. Districts in Lincolnshire have different age profiles to each other, as well as difference in overall health status.”
Office for National Statistics population projections for 2020 estimated East Lindsey has nearly 10,600 people over the age of 80 – those currently being targeted as priority vaccinations, compared to 4,300 in Lincoln.
This would appear to almost correlate the difference between number of elderly and the number of death in terms of how likely it is people will die from the virus.
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