COVID pandemic left northern England with higher death rates and longer lockdowns
People in the north of England were more likely to die from COVID-19, spent longer in lockdown, and were made poorer than the rest of the country, a new report states.
The Northern Health Science Alliance – which includes universities and NHS Trusts – commissioned the study to establish the impact of the pandemic on the region.
Academics used government statistics to show how the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber compared to the rest of England.
According to the report, roughly half of the increased mortality rate from COVID in the north was explained by “potentially preventable deprivation and worse pre-pandemic health”.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “This is an important report and I hope everyone in Westminster and Whitehall will take the time to read it. The long-standing neglect of communities across the north left them more exposed to the pandemic, and those deep-seated inequalities have only got worse over the past 18 months.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham wants greater investment in the north
“Now that the worst of the pandemic is hopefully behind us, the government needs to recognise the toll COVID has taken here – especially when it comes to its levelling up plans. We are ready to work in partnership with them to make levelling up a reality, but they now need to turn their words into action.
“When ministers come to Manchester for their conference next month they need to demonstrate how they are going to tackle the issues that left the north so vulnerable to the pandemic. We have plans for better jobs, better homes, and London-style public transport, and we need the government to back them.”
The report also made suggestions to improve the system in the north.
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Dr Luke Munford, a lecturer in health economics at Manchester University, said: “The pandemic has hit us all hard in different ways, but our report shows that people living in the north were much more likely to be hardest hit, both in terms of health and wealth.
“The fact that over half of the increased COVID-19 mortality and two-thirds of all-cause mortality was potentially preventable should be a real wake-up call.
“We need to invest in the health of people living in the north to ensure they are able to recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.”
Clare Bambra, professor of public health at Newcastle University, said: “Our report shows how regional health inequalities before COVID have resulted in an unequal pandemic, with higher rates of ill health, death and despair in the north.
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“The economic impact of the lockdown is also looking likely to exacerbate the regional economic divide.
“The government’s levelling up agenda needs to seriously address health inequalities in the north, for all generations.”
Storm Bram has been named by the Irish weather service – with warnings for strong winds and heavy rain issued for parts of the UK and Ireland.
More than half a month’s rainfall could hit some parts of the UK in just a 24-hour period, the Met Office has warned.
Parts of Scotland are also facing a “danger to life” warning due to the “very strong” winds on Tuesday.
Yellow and orange warnings are in place across Ireland today and tomorrow, with “very strong to gale force” winds forecast on Tuesday.
Check the forecast for your area
The Met Office said strong winds forecast from Monday evening through until Wednesday could cause disruption, with gusts of 50-60mph predicted widely and 70-80mph in some places.
A yellow weather warning for rain comes into force from 6pm on Monday, and will be in place until 2pm on Tuesday, covering parts of southwest England and Wales, and stretching to parts of Herefordshire and Hampshire.
The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning for high winds from Dorset to Cornwall and up to north Wales, in place from 10pm on Monday until 4pm on Tuesday.
It said transport networks could face disruption, with delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges, and coastal roads and seafronts affected by spray and large waves. Power outages are also possible.
For 24 hours from 6pm on Monday, up to 40mm of rain could fall in some areas, with 60-80mm of rain over Dartmoor and high ground in South Wales, which would amount to more than half the average monthly rainfall in December.
The predicted rainfall across southwest England and South Wales is expected to hit already saturated ground and could lead to difficult travel conditions.
An amber warning for wind has been issued for northwest Scotland on Tuesday, from 4pm until the end of the day.
Flying debris “could result in a danger to life” – and there could be damage to buildings and homes along with the risk of roofs being “blown off” due to the “very strong and disruptive winds”, the Met Office warned.
Forecasters added there was the potential for large waves and beach material “being thrown” across sea fronts, roads and properties.
There are also further yellow warnings for wind and rain on Tuesday across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and northern England.
Weather warnings issued for Tuesday. Pic: Met Office
Yellow warnings for wind have been issued for Scotland and parts of northern England on Wednesday.
The Met Office’s deputy chief meteorologist, Steven Keates, said: “A deepening area of low pressure will approach the UK from the southwest later on Monday, bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds, which are likely to affect the UK between late Monday and early Wednesday.
“The exact track, depth and timings of this low are uncertain, which makes it harder to determine where will be most impacted by strong winds and/or heavy rain.
“This system has the potential to cause disruption, and severe weather warnings are likely to be issued over the weekend as details become clearer. We therefore urge people to keep up-to-date with the latest Met Office forecast.”
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Sky News meteorologist Dr Christopher England warned many areas could face disruption from “damaging gusts”.
“There could also be ferry disruption and that even outside the warning areas, potentially damaging gusts of over 50mph are possible,” he said.
“It only takes one tree falling in the wrong place at the wrong time to have a significant impact.”
The Met Office said the rest of the month remained unsettled, with further periods of low pressure predicted.
It said it is too early to provide an accurate forecast for the Christmas period.
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