While nationally, PCR positivity had been around 0.75% for the previous four weeks, it's crept up this week.
Now 0.87% in the most recent week.
The regional/age split tells its own story with increasing case rates among 10-19y/o and other younger age groups, particularly in parts of N and East Mids.
Although also concerning early signal in parts of N and Mids in those aged 60+ (the heat map is for NW).
And at local authority level, it's very stark.
Case rates ranging from 422/100,000 in Bolton and 331 in Blackburn with Darwen, to <5/100,000 in places like W Sussex and Cambridgeshire.
These differences are reflected in the data on ethnicity by region, and deprivation by age.
Yet again, people from more deprived population groups and minority ethnic groups, particularly those of Asian ethnicity, are being hardest hit.
As case rates in some parts of the country rise, reported outbreaks in care homes and hospitals remain extremely low (yay!).
With little change in report outbreaks among edu settings for the time being.
Reported outbreaks mainly from London, NW and East Mids (note, these data aren't adjusted for the numbers of educational settings in these regions)
Finally on this, very early signal around possible increase in reported outbreaks linked to workplaces and to restaurants/cafes.
One to watch.
When it comes to hospitalisations, very limited signal overall but potential early signal of rise in admission rate in West Mids (up to 1.6/100,000 from 1.0 the week before)
And as we know, some parts of the country are beginning to see rising numbers of inpatients.
Some patients will inevitably become unwell enough to require admission, and as case rates rise so will admission rates with a lag of 10 days or so.
This is Bolton's local hospital.
The vaccine is definitely helping keep case rates lower, slowing transition and reducing the likelihood of severe disease and death.
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. 🧵