"COVID-19...contributed to a mortality rate in 2020 that was lower than it used to be every single year prior to 2008."
As I read the figures (https://tinyurl.com/9pt53zt9), the UK's age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) in 2020 was actually lower than in every year prior to 2009 (not 2008)!
"COVID-19 arrived in the UK after an extended period of unusually low mortality"
This might be read as suggesting that ASMR was abnormally low in the last decade and, thus, might reasonably be expected to rise. However, as I look at that ASMR from 1942 to the present (https://tinyurl.com/h3sacutb), what I see is a steady decrease over time. So I don't think ASMR was "unusually low" in the last decade. Rather ASMR in the last decade simply reflected the steady decrease over time.
In which case, the increase in ASMR in 2020 is a big deal if you simply look at that year in isolation. But, I think the same argument may apply to the UK as it does to Sweden. That is that the high deaths in 2020 were in (large?) part a reflection of the mild flu seasons in the previous two years.
I am an English teacher in Sec School in Spain. Last year a History colleague and me collected the same data for Spain and it was quite similar as in Sweden.
In spite we'd let other teacher read the data they wouldn't believe it, but all the data were official.
There is no way. Screens are stronger than reason. If you would want to have them let me know.
Sweden is also pushing the vaccines. My daughter is a hairdresser there and her salon are asking for vaccine status in order to direct customers who ask to the right staff. Not quite the utopia you are describing.
Another excellent article.
"COVID-19...contributed to a mortality rate in 2020 that was lower than it used to be every single year prior to 2008."
As I read the figures (https://tinyurl.com/9pt53zt9), the UK's age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) in 2020 was actually lower than in every year prior to 2009 (not 2008)!
"COVID-19 arrived in the UK after an extended period of unusually low mortality"
This might be read as suggesting that ASMR was abnormally low in the last decade and, thus, might reasonably be expected to rise. However, as I look at that ASMR from 1942 to the present (https://tinyurl.com/h3sacutb), what I see is a steady decrease over time. So I don't think ASMR was "unusually low" in the last decade. Rather ASMR in the last decade simply reflected the steady decrease over time.
In which case, the increase in ASMR in 2020 is a big deal if you simply look at that year in isolation. But, I think the same argument may apply to the UK as it does to Sweden. That is that the high deaths in 2020 were in (large?) part a reflection of the mild flu seasons in the previous two years.
https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/wp2003.pdf
Dear Richard
I am an English teacher in Sec School in Spain. Last year a History colleague and me collected the same data for Spain and it was quite similar as in Sweden.
In spite we'd let other teacher read the data they wouldn't believe it, but all the data were official.
There is no way. Screens are stronger than reason. If you would want to have them let me know.
Sweden is also pushing the vaccines. My daughter is a hairdresser there and her salon are asking for vaccine status in order to direct customers who ask to the right staff. Not quite the utopia you are describing.