Boris Johnson has announced coronavirus passports and mandatory face masks are to be scrapped in England as Plan B measures are lifted.
Coronavirus infections are significantly down compared to the peak at the end of last year, and, despite the country slowly easing back to normality almost two years on from the beginning of the pandemic, hundreds of deaths within 28 days of a positive test are being reported every day.
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Figures published on the government's data dashboard show that, as of Friday, January 7, there have been 175,256 deaths where Covid-19 was on the death certificate.
But how many of these concerned people with no underlying health conditions?
The answer to a Freedom of Information request, provided on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that there have been more than 17,300 Covid deaths of those without pre-existing health conditions - which can include asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.
The numbers were provided in response to the question: "Please can you advise on deaths purely from covid with no other underlying causes?"
The figures, the most up to date available, only cover 2020, when the pandemic began, and the first three quarters of 2021, however.
The FOI details that of the 17,371 Covid deaths in the recording period, 3,774 were people under the age of 65, with 13,597 over the age of 65.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said: “Every death from this virus is a tragedy and our sympathies are with everyone who has lost loved ones.
“We are thankful for the collective national effort and the hard work of frontline health and social care staff and volunteers for administering vaccines to tens of millions of people and keeping people safe. Their tireless efforts have saved thousands of lives.
“But the pandemic is not over. That’s why it is so important everyone continues to play their part – by coming forward to Get Boosted Now, or getting a first or second jab, if you have yet to do so.”
Covid deaths without pre-existing conditions
The figures are recorded as the year, the quarter in which they occurred, and split by broad age groups between 1-64 and 65+.
2020: 9,400 (0-64: 1,549 / 65 and over: 7,851)
2021 Q1: 6,483 (0-64: 1560/ 65 and over: 4,923)
2021 Q2: 346 (0-64: 153/ 65 and over: 193)
2021 Q3: 1142 (0-64: 512/ 65 and over: 630)
