Deaths jumped 40 per cent in winter 2016, after the flu vaccine failed to protect the elderly, official figures show, as seen below.
About 34,300 more people died between December and March, mainly the elderly. Office for National Statistics states, this is one of the highest figures in recent years.
Deaths during the winter are about a fifth higher than in summer. The high figure for last winter was up from 24,580 in 2015-16, probably because of a flu strain that hit the elderly.
Jodie Withers, an official health analyst at the ONS, said: “The increase is likely due to the predominant strain of flu prevalent during the 2016-17 winter, which had greater impact on the elderly than the young.”
The 2016 flu vaccine was 66 percent effective in children and 41 percent effective in adults under 65. However, it had no effect on older people.
The biggest increase in deaths was among the over-85s, while respiratory death rates were up 50 percent.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “It is notable that last winter was not especially severe and that the statistics remained stable in Wales. A less than fully effective flu vaccine is likely to be one culprit, but it is also true that many older people live in poorly insulated homes and worry about turning up the heating during the cold months, increasing their risk of ill health. In addition, we know the NHS and social care are under unprecedented strain and the net result is that poorly older people, often living alone, are not always getting the effective, timely help they need to nip emerging health problems in the bud.”
The NHS is on high alert for a severe flu outbreak this winter after Australia and New Zealand was recently hit hard during the southern hemisphere winter. Health chiefs insist this year’s vaccine will protect against this strain and are urging people to get the jab.
The latest figures are still short of the 43,850 deaths in 2014-15, which prompted debate about whether austerity was killing off the elderly, or life expectancy leveling off. It followed the lowest excess deaths figure on record, 17,460 in 2013-14, with the figures tending to fluctuate over a long-term downward trend. In 1950-51 there were more than 106,000 excess deaths.
John Newton, of Public Health England, said: “More deaths occur every winter in the UK than in the summer due to a wide range of causes including cold weather, influenza, and other respiratory infections. Older people are particularly affected by all these causes, and most deaths occur in people over 85. The flu vaccination is the best protection we have against flu and it’s really important to have it if you are eligible. In order to keep well this winter, heat your home to at least 18C, keep well stocked on essential food and medicine and wrap up warm with several layers when going outside.”
Janet Morrison, chief executive of the charity Independent Age, said: “It is extremely concerning that almost a third of older people who are entitled to a free flu jab still do not get it. The government must do more to ensure there is a greater uptake of the flu vaccine.”
Original Article
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/winter-deaths-rise-40-as-flu-jab-fails-elderly-vvpnr8fvp
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