Covid winter deaths similar to those caused by flu in previous years

The number of Covid deaths over the winter was similar to those caused by flu in previous years, official figures have revealed.

This winter just gone, the Covid mortality rate has 'fallen more in line' with that of flu or pneumonia during pre-pandemic years.

In January this year, there were 4,100 deaths caused (allegedly) primarily by a Covid infection in England and Wales, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

That compares with a January average of 4,048 deaths from flu or pneumonia in the four years preceding the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.

The trend is similar for the other winter months of December, February and March, the data shows.

Figures for flu and pneumonia deaths during the pandemic years were significantly lower than average. (Apparently flu understood social distancing in a way covid didn't?!)

Other results reveal flu and pneumonia were mentioned more times than Covid on death certificates between March 2020 and April 2022 but Covid was the 'main' cause of death on four times as many occasions. 'Deaths due to flu and pneumonia have fallen to historic lows during the coronavirus pandemic,' the ONS said.

'While deaths due to Covid-19 in the latest winter were still double that of those due to flu and pneumonia, they were more in line with those seen due to flu and pneumonia in pre-pandemic years.

'However, it's too soon to tell whether Covid-19 will develop a similar seasonal pattern to flu and pneumonia.'