Autonomy’s ongoing analysis of available ONS data on all excess deaths during this COVID crisis has revealed key messages – and warnings – for government. With the current study, we have focused in on those who have arguably been worst hit by the COVID pandemic: those in care homes and the care workers who look after them.
New ONS figures have revealed that more care workers have died during this COVID pandemic than workers in any other occupational category. Though it appears that lockdown is helping stabilise the impacts of the virus, in various parts of the country – such as Trafford, Cheshire West and Chester – COVID care homes deaths have in fact increased in the final week of April (the date up to which data is available). This is occurring in a context of a serious and pressing lack of protective equipment for frontline staff.
Who are the care workers who work in these homes and under what conditions do they work?