Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the average mortality rate for covid-19 per 100,000 people is higher in Wirral than the average mortality rate in (a) North West of England and (b) the UK.

The variation in incidence and mortality rates between national, regional and upper tier local authority level is influenced by a range of factors including the epidemiology of the disease and risk factors such as demography and behaviour. Other local factors causing variability in the number of tests carried out can also affect the observed mortality rates. These factors include the number of people accessing testing, and the number of tests that are carried out in the investigation and control of local incidents and outbreaks.

Public Health England has published a rapid review to better understand how different factors such as ethnicity, deprivation, age, gender and obesity can impact on how people are affected by COVID-19. The Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19 review can be viewed on the GOV.UK website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-review-of-disparities-in-risks-and-outcomes