Life expectancy drops due to Covid pandemic

Life expectancy for men and women in Sunderland has fallen because of the pandemic, new figures reveal.

The figures broadly reflects the national picture, where life expectancy for men has dropped for the first time since current records began and statisticians have blamed the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and say the figures do not necessarily mean those born in recent years will have a shorter life.

Office for National Statistics data shows that in Sunderland, a boy born between 2018 and 2020 is expected to live until they are 76.6 years old - down from 77 in 2015-17.

Life expectancy for females fell from 81.3 to 80.9.

Nationally, a baby boy born in 2018-20 is expected to live until he is 79 – down from 79.2 for the 2015-17 period – while a girl born in 2018-20 is expected to live for 82.9 years, the same as in 2015-17.

The figures reflect the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which led to a greater number of deaths than usual last year, the ONS said.

Pamela Cobb, of the ONS centre for ageing and demography, said: “Life expectancy has increased over the last 40 years, albeit at a slower pace in the last decade, but the coronavirus pandemic led to a greater number of deaths than normal in 2020.

“Consequently, we see virtually no improvement in life expectancy for women, while for men life expectancy has fallen back.”

The ONS also said the figures did not necessarily mean a baby born between 2018 and 2020 will live a shorter life, because the estimates are based on the "unusually high" levels of deaths.