UK Covid deaths among worst of big European economies
The UK had one of the worst increases in death rates of major European economies during the Covid pandemic, BBC analysis has found.
Death rates in the UK were more than 5% higher on average each year of the pandemic than in the years just before it, largely driven by a huge death toll in the first year.
That was above the increase seen in France, Spain or Germany, but below Italy and significantly lower than the US.
It would take many inquiries to tease apart the effect of all the possible reasons behind every nation's pandemic outcomes: preparedness, population health, lockdown timing and severity, social support, vaccine rollout and health care provision and others.
But some argue that there are lessons for the UK that need to be learned even before we think about future pandemics.
The UK's heavy pandemic death toll "built on a decade of lacklustre performance on life expectancy" says Veena Raleigh, of the King's Fund, a health think tank. She argues that government action to improve population health and turn that around has "never been more urgent.
Source: BBC News, 22 June 2023