Death toll at lowest level since start of lockdown
Shut pubs, not schools
THE number of people dying with Covid-19 symptoms has fallen to its lowest level since the beginning of lockdown.
There were just 217 cases in which doctors recorded the presence of the virus in the week that ended on Friday July 24, figures said yesterday.
The 217 deaths – the smallest Covid-19 toll in England and Wales since March 20 – came just before the Government began to impose new restrictions to prevent a second wave of infections.
A requirement for holidaymakers in Spain to quarantine for two weeks on returning to Britain was brought in on Saturday July 25, just 24 hours after the end of the best seven days for virus deaths for 18 weeks. The count from the Office for National Statistics showed no signs of a major impact from any second wave in England and Wales in the previous week.
Even the worst-affected region, the East Midlands, where Leicester was put under local lockdown on June 29, showed deaths running only 5.8 per cent above average levels, with 44 more deaths from all causes than the typical level for the past five years.
There were 8,891 deaths from all causes in England and Wales in the week to July 24, the ONS said, 68 more than in the previous week but 161 or 1.8 per cent below the five-year average.
Across the whole of the UK there were 10,142 deaths, 118 below the five-year average level. Only 231 deaths in the UK were of patients who had symptoms of Covid-19 on their death certificates.
However the number of people dying in private homes rather than hospitals or care homes was above the five-year average for the sixth week in a row. There were 727 deaths in private homes in England and Wales in the week ending July 24.
Only 35 of the 2,960 deaths in private homes involved Covid-19. The high rate of excess deaths in homes is likely to point to large numbers of people, many of them older and vulnerable, who have not been admitted to hospitals and who may have had less treatment from the NHS than in normal times.
The ONS report said the heavy toll of the virus on older people and those with pre-existing conditions over the past four months may have contributed to the below average death numbers now being recorded. The phenomenon is known as ‘harvesting’.
The ONS said: ‘ Covid-19 has had a large impact on the number of deaths registered over the last few months and is the main reason for deaths increasing above what is expected, the five-year average.
‘The disease has had a larger impact on those most vulnerable, for example, those who already suffer from a medical condition, and those at older ages.
‘ Some of these deaths would have likely occurred over the duration of the year but have occurred earlier because of Covid-19.’
It said that between the week ending March 27 – the week lockdown began – and the week ending July 24 there were 57,839 ‘excess’ deaths over the five-year average in England and Wales. Only the East Midlands, the West Midlands and the North East had death rates above average.
‘Treated as an after-thought’
SCHOOLS must be kept open ahead of pubs or shops in any future coronavirus lockdown, the Children’s Commissioner for England has warned.
In a major intervention, Anne Longfield said children had been treated as an ‘after-thought’ in the first lockdown and insisted they must be at the heart of future plans.
She said schools should always be the first to open and the last to close. She also declared that, if necessary, they should be prioritised over other sectors and kept open at the expense of pubs, restaurants or non-essential shops. Mrs Longfield called for regular testing of pupils and teachers, saying this was essential in keeping schools open and preventing ‘bubbles’ or year groups being sent home after just one positive test.
Boris Johnson has vowed to that children will return to class on a fulltime basis from next month.
But that pledge has been coming under pressure in recent days amid concern over an increase in infections and new social restrictions in the North. At the weekend, scientists warned that pubs may have to close as a ‘trade-off’ to get all schools back. Yesterday a major study in The Lancet medical journal warned that reopening all schools in September could lead to a devastating second wave of the virus without an improved test and trace system. Teaching unions have also raised renewed concerns about the return of schools and called for a ‘Plan B’ if the virus is resurgent.
However, in a paper on future virus planning last night, Mrs Longfield insisted that keeping schools open was essential to safeguarding children’s futures. Her briefing paper said schools should be the ‘absolute priority’, adding: ‘Education should be prioritised over other sectors – first to open, last to close.
‘When only a limited amount of social interaction is feasible, the amount accounted for by education must be protected at the expense of other sectors/activities.’
The commissioner said she believed that reducing Covid-19 transmission in the community was very important ‘but it should not be automatically assumed that this requires closing schools – except as a last resort’.
The paper suggested that, with rapid testing of pupils and teachers, any confirmed Covid-19 cases and their close contacts could be isolated without necessarily having to send entire classes or year groups home.
Mrs Longfield said that if schools do have to close for most pupils, they must remain open for children of key workers and vulnerable children. She insisted this group should be renamed ‘priority children’ and a concerted effort must be made to work with these families to increase attendance. The paper also suggested that ministers hold a press conference aimed at children – and youngsters should be allowed to participate and submit questions. Mrs Longfield said: ‘Too often during the first lockdown children were an after-thought.
‘Despite the welcome decision to keep schools open for vulnerable children, too few attended. Those schools that did bring back more children before the summer holidays often found classes were only half-full. That must change in September.
‘The Government’s promise that all children will be back to school after the summer holidays is a step in the right direction. However, if a second wave occurs, children must be at the heart of coronavirus planning. That means schools must be the first to reopen and the last to close during any local lockdowns.
‘Regular testing must be also in place for teachers and pupils to reassure parents. If the choice has to be made in a local area about whether to keep pubs or schools open, then schools must always take priority.’
Paul Whiteman, of school leaders’ union NAHT, agreed that it was vital to get children back to school as soon as possible. He added: ‘The success of September’s return to school rests as much on what happens outside the school gates as within. The Government needs to ensure that everyone knows what actions they should be taking to keep everyone safe – we’re all going to need to work together to be successful.’
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: ‘Getting all children back into the classroom full-time at the start of next month is a national priority – as this is the best place for them to be. Our detailed guidance sets out protective measures for schools to implement ahead of a full return in September.’