For those asking/concerned about PHE figures on covid-19 deaths and why the number yesterday was low/why the way it is reported has changed, here is some more information:
NHS has been providing figures to PHE on covid deaths by 9am every day and PHE then publishing stats at 2pm. That was the intention. But as deaths rise it has become difficult to collate and verify the numbers in time.
That has led to figures being published after the 2pm deadline. To get on top of this, PHE and NHS have decided to change the time these numbers are reported to allow more time to check they're all correct.
Importantly, the way the deaths are collated has not changed, only the time. [I am still waiting to hear what the new cut off time is, and the new publishing time].
As a result, yesterday's death stats looked much lower than expected but unfortunately that was a crossover day when the times were being altered. So today the stats are likely to look far higher.
To give a more accurate picture (although I appreciate this is not ideal, stats experts) the suggestion is we add up the figures from yesterday and today and then divide by two to better understand what is happening.
There is also likely to be a note published later from officials to explain this formally, so that people can rest assured there is nothing funny going on with the numbers here.
One addition to the thread I just posted on covid-19 death stats. Public Health England does NOT need the consent of families to publish national death statistics. [This now added to thread]
