Longitudinal survey including 31,737 people over 5 months from March.
Just 50% know COVID symptoms (no change over time)
Of those with COVID symptoms - just 18% isolated (getting worse over time) and 12% requested test (no change over time despite increasing test availability)
Although 76% did say they would share details of close contacts (not far off T&T data but note, this is intended behaviour only, not actual)
Most disappointing, and what the gov is targeting with payments for those on low incomes and fines for non-compliance, is just 11% of contacts quarantined after being told by T&T that they're a contact.
With no change over time.
And the impact on inequalities that goes with everything COVID touches is here again.
Non adherence generally associated with being male, younger, having a dependent child, lower socioeconomic group, greater hardship, knowing less about the guidance, being a key worker.
Puts to population I tweet about every week into perspective.
They're a really selective group - choosing to get tested, to speak with T&T, to share contact information.
The reality is that many aren't getting tests (or can't), aren't isolating etc.
The reasons are going to be complex - can't afford to, need social/economic support, pressure to work, caring responsibilities, not being informed or trusting information, etc.
In summary, through to the beginning of August, half those surveyed correctly recognise symptoms, 12% request a test, 18% isolate when symptomatic, 76% intend to share contacts, and 11% of contacts isolate.
The discussion is great on teasing out the policy implications, but generally better information, financial support, social support, easy access to tests, and more trust in the guidance are going to help.
It's not about being defeatist, it's about doing things better.
We say some of this here.
I hope that policies aimed at increasing isolation & improving T&T have ongoing evaluations with published results, so we can see how effective policies are, their impact on inequalities, and to design betters ones next time.
Gov data shows how price promos are more likely to be applied to unhealthy junk food rather than healthier foods.
And rather than saving people ££, they can lead to around 22% *more* purchases than would otherwise happen, with *more* money spent and *more* consumption.
That's why companies use these promotions.
That's also why the policy was in the obesity strategy in the first place. The irony being that it is more likely to help than hinder the impact of the cost of living crisis on individuals and families.
In today's @Telegraph, Sally O'Brien & I discuss @HealthFdn / @IpsosUK polling results on public attitudes to gov policy on alcohol, tobacco, & unhealthy food (no £-wall🔓)
🧵Tl,dr: While gov has a preference for individual responsibility, the public still think gov should act.
Gains in healthy life-expectancy have stalled, childhood obesity continues to rise, alcohol-related hospital admissions are up, and tobacco still causes over 500,000 admissions a year.
And there are huge inequalities with more deprived areas disproportionately impacted.
Yet the recent trend of unwinding public health policy continues.
The tobacco control plan is unpublished, junk food ad bans have been delayed, plans for a national approach to health inequalities have gone & there's been nothing on alcohol since 2012.
First the good news. COVID cases in hospital clearly falling, in all ages, regions (except perhaps still plateauing in Yorkshire and Humber).
There's still a lag on cases in intensive care and on deaths, but they'll drop soon as well.
Flu, however, seems to be on the rise.
Overall case & admission rates are relatively low, but trending up.
And with a higher % of lab respiratory samples (sent in by dr from people with chest symptoms) testing for flu than at the same time in the past 5 yrs. i.e., it's early
This is a really helpful and timely piece of work by @davidfinchthf.
Along with last week's @TheIFS report on how government ££ are spent, it's clear that we need to do more to align public health funding with local needs. 🧵
Over the last decade, gains in life expectancy in England have stalled.
And it will be no surprise that the impact has not been felt evenly by everyone.
While life expectancy continues to increase for people living in the least deprived parts of the country, people from the most deprived communities are dying earlier.
This type of shortsighted policy review has reared its head again.
Health is an *asset* & the types of obesity policies being looked at here are exactly the ones that are both most effective AND most likely to narrow inequalities. 🧵