Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic weekly update for Malvern Seniors25th April 2021 COVID LOCKDOWN in ENGLAND EXIT STEP 2, CASES FLAT-LINING Risk low within the Malvern Hills district Skip to menu of archived pages PreambleWe keep an eye on the published government figures and monitor the media to asses the level of risk for Seniors in the Malvern Hills district. This page is currently updated every Sunday between 1800 and 2400 hours GMT. Information about Coronavirus can be found on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
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Districts of Worcs | Cases | Weekly increase | Population |
Bromsgrove | 6,240 | +14 | 98,529 |
Malvern Hills | 2,784 | +13 | 77,545 |
Redditch | 6,209 | +20 | 85,317 |
Worcester | 6,083 | +21 | 103,542 |
Wychavon | 6,426 | +13 | 126,240 |
Wyre Forest | 5,564 | +25 | 100,957 |
TOTAL | 33,306 | +106 | 592,130 |
COMPARE WITH | |||
County of Hereford | 6,970 | +49 | 195,000 |
Leicester (city of) | 36,600 | +210 | 400,000 |
Cumulative cases reported by PHE in Worcestershire to 25th April 2021
At the bottom of the Coronavirus Dashboard (daily update) page there is an Interactive Map which is coloured to show the variation in infection rate across the country.
Click for Interactive Map of COVID cases
Note: the Interactive Map works on desktop PCs but it's possible you may encounter difficulties using a tablet or smartphone.
Weekly cases to 20th April are: North Malvern <3; Malvern Link <3; Pickersleigh <3; Barnards Green <3; Malvern Wells and Priory <3; Callow End and Hanley <3; Upton and Welland <3.
Statistics on COVID deaths are published by Public Health England, The Office of National Statistics, and NHS England.
Public Health England reports that the cumulative total of COVID (28) deaths in UK hospitals and care homes has risen by 158 in the last week to 127,428 while the daily average has fallen from 26 to 23 deaths per day; see chart below which shows the actual daily death rate in red, and our forecast to 9th May in blue.
Daily UK death rate from 7th February to 25th April 2021 in red
Forecast to 9th May in blue
Click to view the UK government Coronavirus Dashboard
In comparison averaged over recent years 1,700 people die daily from all causes so COVID deaths are now less than 2%.
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) separately reports registered deaths in England and Wales where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate. The ONS figures lag the PHE figures by 10 - 14 days and do not include NI and Scotland.
The ONS figures are broken down by District providing a glimpse of where deaths are occurring. The provisional cumulative total of COVID related deaths in Worcestershire reported by the ONS up to 9th April 2021 (week 14 of 2021) is shown below.
Note: the numbers are from the ONS Death Registrations-Pivot table
Districts of Worcs | Deaths 2020 |
Deaths 2021 |
Week 14 | Population |
Bromsgrove | 164 | 100 | +3 | 98,529 |
Malvern Hills | 61 | 82 | 0 | 77,545 |
Redditch | 108 | 84 | +1 | 85,317 |
Worcester | 87 | 113 | 0 | 103,542 |
Wychavon | 157 | 115 | 0 | 126,240 |
Wyre Forest | 171 | 102 | +2 | 100,957 |
TOTAL | 748 | 596 | +6 | 592,130 |
Provisional cumulative COVID deaths registered by ONS to 9th April 2021
There were 6 COVD-19 deaths in Worcestershire in week ending 9th April; no deaths were reported in the Malvern Hills.
In England and Wales 379 COVID related deaths were reported by the ONS in the week to 9th April, just 21 lower than the week before, a fall of 5%. Of these 64 were in a care home, 50 at home, 6 in a hospice, 257 in hospital and 2 elsewhere.
The provisional COVID death toll for all weeks of the epidemic is shown in the following table for England and Wales.
Year | Provisional COVID UK death toll in England and Wales |
2020 | 80,741 (amended, see note below) |
2021 | 56,128 |
TOTAL | 136,869 |
COVID death toll in England and Wales to 9th April 2021 (source: ONS)
Note: in previous weeks we had double counted deaths in Wales by summing rows 9 to 351 of the ONS spreadsheet, which included both LA and Health Board data, rather than 9 - 344 only.
The UK death toll is about 10% higher as deaths for Scotland and Northern Ireland have to be added.
Click for national ONS data on deaths (Excel spreadsheet)
The death toll based on death certificates is about 20% higher than deaths within 28 days reported by PHE.
The table below shows latest COVID deaths in Worcestershire hospitals reported by NHS England to 24th April.
Worcestershire | Cumulative deaths | Weekly increase |
Acute hospitals | 805 | +1 |
Care hospitals | 63 | no change |
TOTAL | 868 | +1 |
Click for NHS COVID-19 Daily Deaths
The main point to note is the COVID death rate has fallen a long way from its peak and there are currently few weekly deaths in Worcestershire.
The UK government Coronavirus Dashboard includes important information about healthcare statistics.
Hospital cases (UK) | Number | Weekly change |
Patients currently in hospital | 1,781 | -405 |
Patients on ventilation | 243 | -89 |
Patients admitted daily | 132 | -47 |
Headline summary of patients in hospital as reported 25th April 2021
These headline figures show the number of COVID patients in hospital has continued to fall and is now 5% of the peak.
Daily admissions are also falling. In the past, the steady state number of COVID patients in hospital has been roughly ten time the number of patients admitted daily, suggesting a fall to 1,300 patients is possibly on the way.
Last year roughly 10% of new cases were admitted to hospital and of those at least 1 in 5 died.
The latest figures suggest nearly 10% of new cases are still being admitted to hospital.
If it is assumed that due to vaccination just 1 in 15 now dies then 132 hospital admissions per day may suggest 9 UK deaths per day by the middle of May.
Note: these ratios are very rough and ready and will certainly change as more of the population is vaccinated.
Tabulated figures for bed occupancy in Worcestershire Acute and Care hospitals can be found on the NHS England website.
Click for NHS England COVID-19 Hospital bed Activity
You can also obtain a snapshot of bed occupancy from the Coronavirus Dashboard daily update page, by entering your postcode at the bottom of the page, which will show data for Worcestershire; then find and click All Health Data to see bed occupancy. This information has returned to the Worcestershire Coronavirus Dashboard.
Click to view Worcestershire Coronavirus Dashboard.
Recently there have been 11 COVID patients in Worcestershire Acute Hospitals of which 2 were on ventilators.
The main point to note is that the number of Worcestershire COVID beds occupied has fallen steeply from the peak of about 300.
Trends suggest that during the next seven days (up to 2nd May) the cumulative total of new UK COVID-19 cases reported by PHE on the Coronavirus Dashboard could increase by about 17,500 towards 4,422,000.
In Worcestershire there may be up to 120 new cases of COVID-19, and possibly up to 15 cases in the Malvern Hills district.
We estimate the number of COVID (28) deaths will increase by about 110 nationally towards 127,540 during the 7 days ending 2nd May 2021.
In the county of Worcestershire, assuming a 0.7% death rate, the 106 new cases this week should translate to no more than one COVID death per week by the middle of May.
It's impossible to provide a longer term forecast due to uncertainty about:
how much STEP 3 out of lockdown and the behaviour of the public will alter the Effective Reproduction Rate of the virus;
the emergence of new variants of concern such as the South African;
how effective the vaccines will be at reducing the transmission of COVID-19.
So far, rapid rollout of the vaccine, frequent testing of school children and their families, hand washing, masks, and physical distancing seems to have kept COVID under control, in most areas.
STEP 2 permits either two households, or groups of up to 6 people to meet outdoors while keeping 2 metres apart, plus allows shopping and eating out, seated at tables, in outdoor settings - this should be safe providing people are sensible.
COVID rule of six
Pundits are not expecting STEP 2 to make much difference, but are more concerned what will happen after restrictions are eased on 17th May allowing mixing in indoor settings (STEP 3).
However, as the vaccine is beginning to break the link between new cases and both hospitalizations and deaths, new cases should not be of too much concern as long as they are not allowed to spiral out of control and new variants are contained.
COVID deaths have fallen to a trickle so it is anticipated that the (PHE) UK death toll by the end of April 2021 will not exceed 127,600; see commentary.
Remember most of those aged under 50 years have yet to be vaccinated so the public needs to remain cautious until towards the end of June.
The
daily number of new cases of Coronavirus has fallen a long way from
the peak so this week we judge the risk to be LOW for most Seniors
in the Malvern Hills district who have been vaccinated more than 3 weeks ago;
see our annex and riskometer opposite.
But remember, if you are elderly, have not been vaccinated, and catch COVID there is a significant chance that you will either die or your long term health may be seriously damaged, so continue to take care to protect yourself and those you love. 90% of COVID deaths are in those aged over 60 years according to NHS England statistics.
Click for our risk of death table (for those who have not been vaccinated)
It's possible, despite a first jab, for up to 20% of Seniors to become ill with COVID, though not seriously in most cases, so it makes sense to continue taking reasonable precautions until the epidemic fizzles out.
The simple safeguards to remember are to:
wash your HANDS thoroughly, using soap and hot water, for 20 seconds, including after handling deliveries to your home, to kill virus picked up from contaminated surfaces see note 1;
wear a FACE mask when unavoidably near other people for example when shopping, visiting hospital or the chemist, and using public transport;
SPACE at least 2 metres from people outside your bubble see note 2;
meet friends and other households outdoors in the FRESH AIR;
keep TIME near strangers as short as possible, see note 3;
self-isolate and book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste).
Hence the PMs new mantra:-
HANDS, FACE, SPACE, FRESH AIR
A
doctor in Bournemouth speaking on the evening news suggested
that if you were sick with COVID at home it would be a good idea to have a
little device known as a Pulse Oximeter handy (see photo on right). This
measures the oxygen saturation in the blood and pulse rate by clipping the
device on a finger and pressing a button; the reading should normally be at
least 97%.
If the reading falls to about 93% you should call your doctor for advice, and if the reading is consistently below 92% you should consider calling an ambulance or visiting A&E.
Pulse Oximeters can be purchased from Amazon for £18 to £25; alternatively your doctor's surgery might loan you one if you are unwell and have tested COVID positive.
Hopefully you will have been vaccinated and won't need one now!
Remember, if you have symptoms of COVID-19 at home and can't count from one to ten out loud due to shortness of breath, you should immediately call your GP, 111 or 999 for advice.
Click for UK government Coronavirus guidance on what you can and cannot do
Notes:
1) Wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face to avoid transferring virus from contaminated surfaces to your mouth, eyes and nose. If outdoors use hand gel.
2) Two metres is further than you think - roughly an arm and a walking stick away.
3) During lockdown STEPS 1 and 2 you should not mix with other households indoors.
Minimise exposure time if you unavoidably find yourself mixing in a confined setting - an invisible mist of virus can build up in the air if the space is shared with an infectious person; imagine people exhaling cigarette smoke. Unless you wear a well fitting FFP3 hospital grade face mask you can breath this in; a face covering will offer little protection. The likelihood and extent you get sick will depend on both the density of the airborne virus, which can be reduced by opening windows, and the duration of your exposure.
This advice is mirrored by Japanese advice to avoid the three Cs, see poster below:
Crowded spaces with poor ventilation
Crowded places with many people nearby
Close-contact settings such as close range conversations
COVID advice in Japan
Night clubs, crowded pubs and (student) parties are high risk.
For a second week there has been little of significance to report concerning the situation in the UK. Hospital admissions and the COVID death rate are continuing to fall, and though the daily number of new cases is not falling much, so far, there has been no sign of a fourth wave.
On Tuesday the PM gave a COVID Press briefing announcing an Antiviral Task Force would be created to search for the most promising new medicines and support their development through clinical trials.
Later in the week the media reported on cases in India spiralling out of control and overwhelming hospitals. Sky news footage of patients dying outside hospitals was particularly disturbing.
Because the population of India is about 22 times that of the UK, the COVID death toll in India looks set to rise considerably during May and into June - possibly towards one million.
Click for IHME projection of death toll in India
It is currently illegal to travel abroad for holidays but the restrictions could be relaxed after 27th May 2021.
Click for present guidance on travel during the COVID pandemic
The PM said a report by a task force would be produced by 12th April outlining prospects for overseas travel in the summer. Progress to date was outlined by Grant Chapps MP and the Department of Transport on 9th April.
Click for Report of the Global Travel Taskforce - The Safe Return of International Travel
It's all rather complicated but in essence you will need to get a COVID test before return to the UK and following arrival. If you return from a green list country you are free to circulate if the tests are clear. If you return from an amber list country you must quarantine for ten days and take two COVID tests. If you arrive from a red list country you must quarantine for ten days in an approved government hotel.
India has been added to the travel red list.
Click for BBC report on the foreign travel proposals
More work has to be done to allocate countries to the red, amber and green lists which may not be published until the middle of May; the cost of getting tests could be a significant burden on holiday-makers, who may also have to provide evidence of vaccination.
Travel abroad this summer may be possible to countries welcoming holiday-makers such as Spain, but probably not countries with closed borders such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
It could be a month or two before the situation clarifies.
Here is the list of vaccines ordered by the UK - you will see there is plenty of vaccine in the pipeline for delivery later in the year.
COVID-19 vaccine | Doses ordered (million) | Status |
Pfizer BioNTech, two dose, -70 deg C | 40 | Approved, deliveries continuing, made in Belgium (EU). |
Astrazeneca, two dose, fridge | 100 | Approved for those aged 30+ years; deliveries continuing. Batches made in UK, Belgium and India. |
Moderna, two dose, -20 deg C | 7+10 | Approved. First deliveries to Wales and Scotland 7th April 2021 then England 13th April; mainly for those aged under 50 years awaiting vaccination. |
Valneva, two dose | 60+40 | A jab from French company Valneva will be made in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. Delivery to start in second half of 2021. |
Janssen, single dose | 30 | A jab from Belgian firm Janssen, owned by Johnson and Johnson; phase III trials complete. Approved for use in the USA and EU; possibly available in UK from May. |
Novavax | 60 | A jab manufactured by US firm Novavax is being made in Stockton-on-Tees UK; phase III trials complete, awaiting approval. Should be available later this year. Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) has been contracted to fill and package vials. |
GSK Sanoft | 60 | Some delay due to adjusting the formula to give better protection to the elderly; possible availability late 2021. |
Curevac | 50 | Contract placed with German company Feb 2021. Possible source of new variant vaccine later in 2021 |
Table of vaccines ordered by the UK government
This week, the average rate of infection per 100,000 population per week in England fell from 28 to 24. In comparison the figure for Worcestershire is now 15, and that in the Malvern Hills 9.
The probability of catching Coronavirus in the Malvern Hills district is low, and as most Seniors have been vaccinated we judge the risk LOW.
The risk of death from Coronavirus for unvaccinated healthy teenagers is small so for them the risk is also LOW. The middle aged can suffer from debilitating Long COVID so for those that have not been vaccinated and live in areas where rates are falling more slowly the risk might be judged LOW to MODERATE.
The rolling 7 day average death rate was 23 deaths per day on 25th April. Assuming the same death rate during the next 5 days, the death toll by the end of April should be no higher than shown in the table below.
Date | Forecast UK COVID-19 death toll (PHE basis) |
April 25th | 127,428 |
April 30th | +115 |
Total | 127,543 |
Forecast UK COVID-19 epidemic death toll by the end April 2021
Now the UK COVID-19 death rate has fallen to a trickle, we will probably discontinue estimating the final death toll of the epidemic.
At the start of the epidemic on 17th March 2020 the Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Valance, questioned by the Health Select Committe, did not disagree with Jeremy Hunt's suggestion that a death toll of 20,000 might be a reasonable outcome.
On the other hand, Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College warned in some scenarios the death toll might be as high as 250,000; while we thought, in the very worst case assuming up to 1% of the UK population died the outcome might have been nearer 400,000 taking into account some build up of herd immunity.
So how well will the UK have done? When Jeremy Hunt and Sir Patrick Valance spoke there had been few deaths and they clearly underestimated what was to come. Professor Neil Ferguson was nearer the mark. A few might consider an outcome of 127,600 deaths a fair result compared to a greater number of people dying in a very short space of time, more being permanently disabled by Long COVID, and temporary collapse of the NHS.
Members of the Labour Party and others will no doubt say the UK has done poorly compared to the best performing countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Singapore where deaths have been much lower, not to mention the enormous expense of supporting those out of work and huge damage to the economy.
With hindsight, deaths could have been much lower if the second lockdown had been continued into December and January, but that would have meant cancelling Christmas, and who knows to what extent the public would have complied.
Worldwide, this pandemic is not played out and it could be a further 1 to 2 years before the 'dust' finally settles.
At the appropriate time there will no doubt be a full inquiry to learn lessons for the future.
Article about the effects of Coronavirus on the human body
How to get a test
https://www.nhs.uk/coronavirus
About joining the Zoe COVID Symptom Study:
UK government Coronavirus guidance
Guidance on tiers: what you need to know
Government postcode checker to find tier for other areas
UK government Coronavirus Dashboard
Coronavirus Dashboard Interactive Map
ONS data on deaths in England and Wales (Excel spreadsheet)
NHS England COVID-19 Daily Deaths
NHS England COVID-19 Hospital Admissions
NHS England vaccination statistics
Worcestershire Coronavirus Dashboard
Worcestershire COVID-19 Vaccinations Dashboard
ONS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Roundup
Worldometer summary of coronavirus cases worldwide
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control info
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/geographical-distribution-2019-ncov-cases
World Health Organisation info
Centre for Disease Control (CDC)
American Association of Retired People (AARP)
Help:
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2help
Worcestershire County Council COVID-19 information:
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/coronavirus
Here you will find a useful link,
'Website: Number of new cases by date in Worcestershire'
which displays interesting COVID charts and statistics for Worcestershire
Spanish Flu
Dr Jeff Kildea's commentary about the 1919 outbreak of Spanish Flu in Australia
Views of Martin McKee, Professor of European Public Health
Follow Martin McKee on Twitter
SAGE membership
Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE)
Scottish government:
Link to Scottish Government website
Link to Postcode checker for COVID restrictions by protection level in areas of Scotland
Welsh Government:
Guidance on COVID alert levels in Wales
The interpretations and opinions expressed are our own
Last updated 26th April 2021