BBC: Coronavirus: Middlesbrough inhabitants most 'at risk' of dying

Juninho10

Juninho10

Well-known member
The Mayor of Middlesbrough recently ordered all of the town's parks stay closed, in defiance of the government which wants to keep them open. Andy Preston said people in the town were the most at risk in the country of dying from Covid-19. But why is this?

Dr Paul Williams lost his seat as a Labour MP in last year's general election and returned to work for the NHS on Teesside.

He believes Middlesbrough's poverty - it is the poorest council borough in England - is one of the main factors making people more vulnerable to Covid-19.

"There is a clear link between poverty and Covid-19," he said.

"First off it's harder for the poor to social distance because they live in more crowded houses, and many are surviving hand to mouth.
"Covid-19 is following a very familiar pattern of health inequality.

"In Middlesbrough and similar areas we have low life expectancies, a lot of young people who have cancer, or who have breathing or heart problems and those people are most likely to be affected by coronavirus.

"This crisis requires not just an NHS response, but a political and economic response as well."

FULL ARTICLE: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-52354430
 
I read this and was astonished that some people's health starts to deteriorate at the age of 47. No doubt that's a reflection of lifestyle and diet, a direct result of poverty levels.
 
Juninho10 said:
The Mayor of Middlesbrough recently ordered all of the town's parks stay closed, in defiance of the government which wants to keep them open. Andy Preston said people in the town were the most at risk in the country of dying from Covid-19. But why is this?

Dr Paul Williams lost his seat as a Labour MP in last year's general election and returned to work for the NHS on Teesside.

He believes Middlesbrough's poverty - it is the poorest council borough in England - is one of the main factors making people more vulnerable to Covid-19.

"There is a clear link between poverty and Covid-19," he said.

"First off it's harder for the poor to social distance because they live in more crowded houses, and many are surviving hand to mouth.
"Covid-19 is following a very familiar pattern of health inequality.

"In Middlesbrough and similar areas we have low life expectancies, a lot of young people who have cancer, or who have breathing or heart problems and those people are most likely to be affected by coronavirus.

"This crisis requires not just an NHS response, but a political and economic response as well."

FULL ARTICLE: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-52354430
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Ta for publishing that. I saw it this morning.

I decided not to be the person to publish it on here. I felt it would have been wrong of me to do so. Given that I left the Boro over 40 years ago.
 
spanishman said:
Ta for publishing that. I saw it this morning.

I decided not to be the person to publish it on here. I felt it would have been wrong of me to do so. Given that I left the Boro over 40 years ago.
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It really is disappointing... we all know the area isn't well funded compared to other parts of the UK - but some of the statistics and data is terrible for a 'rich' country

I'm half Stockton / half Boro - through my parents, but extremely proud to be from Teesside
 
Life expectancy is around 62 for men in the Boro and Central Stockton - its gone backwards in the last 12 years, while most of the country male life expectancy has increased. The virus obviously causes most problems to people with health problems. The decline of the local economy has contributed but I would guess there are other issues to do with drug use, unhealthy diets, high levels of smoking and alcohol consumption and low activity rates. There has also be cutbacks in welfare benefits and social care (for under 75s).
 
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