Covid mortality rates are still around three to four times higher in the most deprived areas in England compared to the least deprived, a review has found.
According to the Health Foundation, there remains ‘a significant gap in the risk of dying from Covid-19’ by deprivation level.
It noted that age-standardised mortality rates have been ‘around three or four times higher’ in the least deprived areas in a given month.
In November 2021, this meant there were 141.6 deaths per 100,000 population in the most deprived 10% of local areas, compared to 40.9 in the least.
And between July and December 2021, the most deprived areas saw 2,300 Covid-19 deaths – 2.5 times more than the 900 found in the least deprived areas.
It also found that t vaccination rate for three or more jabs is 20 percentage points higher in the least deprived areas than in the most deprived areas (81% to 61%).
The Health Foundation also stated that inequalities have remained high among people from different ethnic backgrounds during the Omicron variant wave, with Bangladeshi and Pakistani men and women experiencing mortality rates ‘between two and three times higher’ than white British men and women.
It added that while risk of exposure – formerly a key risk factor – may no longer be a key factor at this stage in the pandemic, underlying health remains one.
It said: ‘Changing political leadership presents an opportunity to refresh and refocus efforts. The delayed health disparities white paper remains an important vehicle to make progress and commit to a long-term strategy and action to tackle poor health and health inequalities.’
It comes after a major investigation this week found 474 GP practices have closed in the last nine years in the UK with the greatest proportion found in deprived areas.
And earlier this month, research revealed people in deprived areas get ill ten years earlier.
