The number of Covid deaths in Greater Manchester since ‘Freedom Day’

The latest UK Government figures show there have been 5,892 deaths in England since the country ‘reopened’ on 19 July, a rate of 10.4 per 100,000 people.

And parts of the North have been disproportionately affected, the data suggests, in the 71 days since social distancing restrictions lifted on so-called Freedom Day.

The Institute for Public Policy North (IPPR North) said a decade of austerity was responsible for the disproportionately high death rate in parts of the North – and warned the North was in for a tough winter without more urgent action on levelling up.

Here are the figures for Greater Manchester’s boroughs, showing total deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test between 19 July and 25 September, 2021:

Source: UK Government

What do the figures show versus the national picture?

IPPR research fellow, Dr Parth Patel said: “It isn’t right, and yet it is no surprise, that these figures show Covid-19 deaths have fallen disproportionately on the north of England.

“We know that differences in the conditions in which people live and work determine your risk of catching Covid-19. After over a decade of Westminster’s austerity that has disproportionately affected regions like the North, including by cutting their public health budgets.

“It couldn’t be more urgent as we enter what is going to be a very tough winter. Covid-19 will continue to affect northerners disproportionately if rhetoric to ‘level up’ is not urgently matched with bolder policy.”

What has the Government said in response?

A government spokesperson said:

“Any death is a tragedy and we know COVID-19 had a disproportionate impact on certain groups which is why Public Health England carried out a rapid review to better understand the relationship between this virus and factors like ethnicity, obesity and deprivation.

“The phenomenal vaccine rollout has built a wall of defence across the country, with over 123,100 lives saved and more than 230,000 hospitalisations prevented.

“The new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities will lead national efforts to improve and level up the health of the nation by tackling obesity, improving mental health and promoting physical activity.