After 18 months of draconian measures imposed by the government, the wider consequences are beginning to surface in the form of figures sourced from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and therefore undeniable, even to the mainstream media
Although a lot of information is yet to be released in relation to lockdown deaths and impacts, we can already see the irreversible damage that has been inflicted on some of the most vulnerable members of our society
The ONS have released information surrounding the number of alcohol-related deaths for last year and the results are harrowing.
In 2020, the ONS registered 7,423 deaths from alcohol related issues in England and Wales, this is defined as deaths directly caused by a misuse of alcohol
This figure is a 20% increase from the year preceding and is also the highest rate of alcohol deaths we have seen in England and Wales in 20 years
Of those 7,423 deaths, 80% were from alcohol-related liver disease, 10% from mental or behavioural disorders linked to alcohol abuse and 6% from alcohol poisoning
We need to look at the policies and procedures imposed on the people over the last 18 months to begin to understand the reasons
Given that this massive increase in alcohol-related deaths began in March 2020, the same month the lockdown was imposed and off-licenses were considered "essential business", it would not be far-fetched to deduce that these gross infringements on the lives and rights of everyone may have significantly contributed to the further deterioration of the nations health and well-being
Comments