Outstanding vaccine news (UK)

[speak easy]

48% of then UK population are now vaccinated with one jab or more.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/mar/28/moderna-covid-vaccine-to-be-introduced-in-uk-from-april

The vaccine rollout prioritized people 65+ years, and those with pre-existing conditions.
The UK began a third lockdown, January 4.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. and the excess mortality has dropped a lot more for the older age groups

https://ourworldindata.org/excess-mortality-covid



In the first wave, the excess mortality for 85+ peaked at 126%, and decreased as the age group got younger, down to 67% for under 65. BY the 2nd wave, around January, 85+ excess mortality peaked around 40%, while for 65- it was 53% (they're better at treatment now, in general, and older people are probably self-isolating more, plus the first effects of vaccines would just about be noticeable then).

But by March 14, when the vaccination had really had its effect in the old age groups, under 65 it was 15%, 65-74 minus 2% (ie slightly fewer deaths than previous years), 75-84 minus 5%, and 85+ minus 13%. The relative risk of death from Covid (compared to 'normal') has reversed for age groups, thanks to the vaccine.

[triron]

2. % of what?? How does one get negative %?

[Bettie]

3. People are dying less than in an average year

probably because they are staying in and not getting sick at all.

I didn't even get a cold this winter, which is really unusual.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. percent of the excess number of deaths in the age group in that week in past years

So a negative number shows fewer people died than the average (I believe it's the average for 2015-19 for that week of the year, without looking it up again). We've almost no flu this winter, so it's this may be an indication that in the oldest age groups, covid is now killing fewer than flu typically does.