To think COVID death figures are too inaccurate

[Northernsoulgirl45]

So it would appear you could have died of COVID but it won't count if you weren't tested ( huge nunbers in early days in community) or hung on for more than 28 days. Also you could die of a stroke due to complications and it won't count if after 28 days.
On the othet hand you could get run over and it would count as COVID if you had a positive test within 8 days although this figure likely to be negligible.
Just wondering what is the point of these daiky figures.

We need to have some figures. But I agree they are flawed. Overall the experts and medical professionals feel the figures understate real covid deaths. Excess deaths are at about 65k?

I believe the ONS figures are probably more accurate but there is a lag.
I do feel the death toll from COVID is much higher.

The daily figures give some vague idea what's happening but are not great, for the reasons mentioned. The ONS deaths figures are the gold standard of statistical reporting but of course have a lag.

Excess deaths are not all caused by Covid - some are caused by lockdown.

And the point of the daily figures... to answer the huge clamour for instant figures from a media, politicians and public who don't understand the trade offs between statistical accuracy and instant data.

@110APiccadilly

The daily figures give some vague idea what's happening but are not great, for the reasons mentioned. The ONS deaths figures are the gold standard of statistical reporting but of course have a lag.

Excess deaths are not all caused by Covid - some are caused by lockdown.

Excess deaths are not all caused by Covid - some are caused by lockdown Lockdown - which is because of Covid. I'd imagine the figure would be even higher were if not for lockdown.

Mind you the daily case figures have been seriously screwed up too. Over 12800 today after underrerporting.

Why do you, presumably a lay person, require accurate and up to date death rates? If the ONS data is accurate and is being given to the people actually making the decisions, that is good enough.

Conversely, people who tested positive for covid and died or something else will be counted, as will many people who had covid put on their death certificate without even being see by a doctor. So its swings and roundabouts.

The first bit kit yes but unlikely to be as many as community testing wasn't there at the start and the second well not sure if true as the explaination of the figures makes no mention of including cases with COVID on death certificate rightly or wrongly.
When a layperson treats the figures as gospel to push their opinion or change their behaviour than the fact that they are so inaccurate is important.

The ONS statistics include death certificates mentioning covid with or without a positive test.

I know kit that is why I said ONS figures are more accurate.

When prople go on about how low Covid deaths are right now they don't quote ONS figures.

I think the government should stop announcing daily deaths. To be honest I dont think they ever should have done so. But if they change it now, people will outcry that they're trying to cover something up.

You could have a point.