Brent Covid deaths pass the 1,000 mark while booster rates remain troubling low

 

With Brent schools struggling to cover classes due to high Covid rates amongst staff and a lack of supply teachers it is sobering to see that by February 4th the numbers of deaths from Covid had passed 1,000.

At the same time, according to BBC figures above, only 38% of the population of Brent, despite the best imaginative efforts of the NHS and Brent Public Health, had received a booster or third dose.

Omicron may generally be mild in impact but another variant could come along and 'long covid' rates are troubling.

 It isn't over yet.

Covid-19 deaths in your area of Brent

At present the Church End area is showing the highest figures in Brent

Tory heartlessness: Deaths of claimants after being declared 'fit for work'

The statistical basis of this story has provoked discussion (see below)  but the real issue is the heartlessness of government policy.

Statement from DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts)

DWP has at last published the mortality statistics for the ESA group. It will take time to analyse them, but what they show is that the WCA is not fit for purpose.  2500 people have died after being found fit for work. Another 7,200 people died after being placed in the WRAG, the group for disabled people who can do ‘some work’, another 7540 died waiting to be assessed

But these figures do not tell the whole story. They ignore the suffering of disabled people who survived, being found fit for work but unable to claim JSA because they cannot meet the conditionality of the benefit. The suffering of 3000 disabled people sanctioned every month, and who cannot compensate for their loss of income, because they were found unfit to work, and they are.

The suffering and the humiliation of disabled people who have to prove their impairment/long term health issues over and over again to DWP staff who don’t believe them. The suffering of disabled people being portrayed as scroungers by the media. This suffering cannot be captured by statistics.
Under the last Labour government, the aim was to force 1 million disabled people out of benefits and into work. Almost 10 years later, the aim is the same, while in a meantime a Coalition minister recognised that people on disability benefits were ‘sicker’ than they thought.

And those in the middle group, who would expect before too long to be mandated to the Work Programme, have proved to be sicker and further from the workplace than we expected. So it will take far more time than we predicted for them to be ready to make a return to work

This has not changed. Some people will never get better and need long term support. To pretend that they can do ‘some work’ is disingenuous, as no employer is prepared to offer ‘some work’ to disabled people.

People died because of the welfare reforms, but others suffered and still suffer. Let’s not forget any of them

London deaths from air pollution: the shocking truth

Public Health England has released statistics today on the number of people dying because of air pollution.

Across England it is estimated that 25,002 people died because of air pollution in 2010. In London alone it is estimated that nearly 3,400 died.

Jean Lambert, the Green Party's MEP for London and a clean air campaigner, said:

These new statistics, which show that thousands of people are dying because of air pollution, make it clear that urgent action is needed to clean up our air.

The fact that thousands are dying because of air pollution each year should be a source of shame for Ministers. Yet, despite the mounting evidence of this major public health threat, the Government is doing far too little to reduce air pollution.

David Cameron, who last week flippantly blamed the smog entirely on Saharan Dust, should be ashamed of himself. The Government knows that the smog last week was in part caused by the high levels of pollution we have in this country, yet, shamefully, they refuse to accept responsibility. Now that these stats reveal thousands of deaths are caused by air pollution, it is time for Ministers to take this issue seriously and take urgent action to protect people's health.

In Ms Lambert's London constituency 3,389 deaths in 2010 were associated with air pollution.
Public Health England's report estimates that 7.2% of deaths in London were attributable to air pollution.
Ms Lambert, who is a founder supporter of Clean Air in London (2), went on to say:

With almost one in 12 deaths in my London caused by air pollution it is abundantly clear that action is needed.

We need to radically rethink the way they are dealing with air pollution. To protect people's health we need both the UK Government and the Mayor of London to be bold in tackling air pollution - and stop trying to water down the rules.

We need a 'very low emissions zone' for central London, cleaner buses, a strategy to reduce pollution from taxi exhaust, 20mph speed limits as standard in residential areas, and more steps to encourage walking and cycling.

It's time we recognise that air pollution is a political issue. We can clean up our air, but we need to force politicians to take the issue seriously.

The Public Health England report is available here.
Jean's latest report on London's Air Quality is here .
 More information about Clean Air in London is available here .

Invisible killer in our sights this year

We have several spots in Brent where air pollution is often above recommended safety  levels such as Neasden Lane, Ikea on the North Circular and near John Keble School in Harlesden. LINK

It is good then to welcome renewed focus on the issue with the launch of the European Year of Clear Air.

Keith Taylor the Green  MEP  for South East England joined campaigners and other politicians in launching the Year. With key European legislation up for review this year, and an estimated half a million premature deaths in Europe caused by air pollution, Mr Taylor is calling for the UK government to halt its efforts to weaken existing EU air quality standards..

EU air quality safe levels were set in the 90´s and there have been mixed results since then. While air quality has generally improved the levels of some dangerous pollutants has increased. Currently 95% of city residents in the European Union breathe ozone at levels exceeding World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels.

In the UK air pollution causes 29,000 deaths and contributes to over 200,000 premature deaths per year. In Mr Taylor’s constituency, the South East of England, the problem of air pollution particularly affects both city dwellers and the thousands of people who commute into London.

Mr Taylor said:

With children and the elderly being hit hardest by poor air quality, and the levels of some noxious pollutants on the rise, we badly need to see strong legislation from the European Union in 2013.”

The UK government has been accused by campaigners of attempting to weaken air pollution legislation. The UK department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs proposed “Working in partnership with other Member States, we will … amendments to the Air Quality Directive which reduce the infraction risk faced by most Member States, especially in relation to nitrogen dioxide provisions’.

 Responding to this Mr Taylor said

It beggars belief that the UK Government is trying to water down European Legislation that will protect the lives of British citizens. I urge them to back strong laws on air pollution and to improve people’s health.”

 Keith recently published a public information leaflet, ‘Air Pollution: The Invisible Killer’, to raise awareness of air pollution and its damaging health impacts. The leaflet explains how air pollution is created, how widespread the problem is, how it affects our health and how pollution can be reduced.