Pre-Existing Conditions and Hospitals

Hospital death figures provide a partial view of the pandemic.

On Boxing Day, columnist Paul Embery wrote on social media:

The number of Covid-related deaths in England involving individuals under the age of 60 and free from a pre-existing condition is 377. This is for the entire period of the pandemic.

Julia Hartley-Brewer, a talkRADIO presenter, added:

Just 377 healthy people under 60 have died of Covid. That’s not a typo. There are no zeros missing. 377. Yes, that’s sad but we have locked down an entire country for a virus that mostly kills the very old & the very sick. The rest of us should be free to decide our own risks.

Twitter users shared these posts over 3,000 times each.

The statistic only refers to deaths in hospital in England. These deaths must have a positive COVID-19 test result. People also die outside of hospital. Having a pre-existing condition is a broad category. Patients could have common conditions, or received treatment for their mental health.

NHS England statistics

NHS England publishes daily statistics on COVID-19 deaths in hospitals. Before 19th June, this meant all hospital deaths with a positive COVID-19 test result. Confirmation of that positive result can come after death.

After then, NHS England recorded hospital deaths within 28 days of a positive test…