Thread by @ONS

How does #COVID19 compare with flu as a cause of death?

While there are limitations in comparing mortality from both diseases, our latest article explores trends in mortality over the pandemic and how this compares with pre #coronavirus years ➡️ ow.ly/q2mx50Jffht

There were more deaths involving flu and pneumonia than #COVID19 between March 2020 and April 2022.

However, COVID-19 was identified as the underlying cause of death in more than four times as many deaths as flu and pneumonia over the same period.

The proportion of deaths involving #COVID19 where the disease was also the underlying cause of death has fallen from 90% in spring 2020 and early 2021, to 62% in the week ending 1 April 2022.

This is still much higher compared with flu and pneumonia (20% in the same week).

The average age of death for those with #COVID19 as an underlying cause has been lower than for those due to flu and pneumonia throughout the pandemic.

Deaths due to flu and pneumonia have fallen to historic lows during #COVID19.

While deaths due to COVID-19 in the latest winter were still double that of those due to flu and pneumonia, they were more in line with those seen due to flu and pneumonia in pre-pandemic years.

1 in 12 (7.9%) deaths due to #COVID19 were among those aged below 60 years, compared with 1 in 20 (5.0%) deaths due to flu and pneumonia ➡️ ow.ly/q2mx50Jffht