This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Highest rate of excess deaths since 1970s
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were approximately 50,100 excess winter deaths in England and Wales last year, the highest since the winter of 1975-76.
An extra 6,000 deaths are estimated to have occurred during last winter compared with three years ago, largely due to the ineffectiveness of the flu vaccine in older people and spells of very cold weather last winter.
Public Health England has advised all adults over 65 to have the vaccine as soon as possible this year.
Nick Stripe, head of health analysis and life events at the Office for National Statistics said: "Peaks like these are not unusual - we have seen more than eight peaks during the last 40 years. It is likely that last winter's increase was due to the predominant strain of flu, the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine and below average winter temperatures.”
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