Every day since the lockdown the death toll from coronavirus has been announced. Mercifully, the numbers have been much lower in Britain in recent weeks. But have the figures been accurate? Are they as distressing as they seem?
Charting the numbers
The Health Secretary for England recently called for an urgent review to try to find the answer but the answer is as confusing as the statistics.
There are three, or maybe four, issues involving the way deaths are registered, and no-one can agree which is the best.
The 'official' figures issued daily include anyone who died due to coronavirus after testing positive whatever the registered cause of death and however long ago was the test.
A second method counted only deaths recorded within twenty- eight days of the test. and a third option, a sixty day period that allows other conditions also included in the death certificate.
All very complicated. Oh, and the Office for National Statistics has a different system.
Opinion is as divided as the systems.
Ministers favour recording deaths within 28 days of positive tests, not surprising as this would considerably reduce the numbers.
Public Health England disagees, saying it would exclude thousands of cases of long term coronavirus cases only now being recognised.
Professor Carl Heneghan of Oxford University prefers the 28 day rule. He agrees that people are being confused by unhelpful and inaccurate statistics.
Professor Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical officer, plumps for a fourth system, calculating excess deaths over a similar period.
Confused? I am. It will be interesting to see which option the government decides is best for the public - and for them.
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