FOI REF: FOI/2022/4545
You asked
The numbers of hospitalised and of deaths from COVID-19, broken down into vaccinated and unvaccinated categories since the 1 January 2022 till 13.10.22 (week 41) in percentages and absolute. numbers
The percentages and absolute numbers on all deaths (regardless the cause) broken down to vaccination status from the 1January 2022 till 13.10.22 (week 41).
We said
Thank you for your request.
Please see the following answers to your questions.
1. The numbers of hospitalised and of deaths from COVID-19 broken down into vaccinated and unvaccinated categories since the 1 January 2022 till 13.10.22 (week 41) in percentages and absolute numbers.
We do not hold the information on hospitalisations that you request. Our data on hospital episodes is obtained from the Hospital Episode Statistics published by NHS Digital with an approximately 3 month delay. Therefore, we use this data to determine pre-existing conditions and general health of individuals, but not to analyse recent hospitalisations due to COVID-19.
NHS Digital may be best placed to help you with the information you require. They can be contacted via email at enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk, and by telephone at 0300 303 5678.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also publish data that could help answer your enquiry. They publish a weekly surveillance report which looks at the impact on hospitalisations, infection, vaccine effectiveness and COVID-19 mortality. They can be contacted on InformationRights@UKHSA.gov.uk
The UKHSA weekly surveillance report includes numbers of COVID-19 hospitalisations and numbers of COVID-19 deaths within 28 and 60 days of positive specimen or with COVID-19 reported on death certificate for 4-week periods, by vaccination status and age group, where vaccination status is defined on the date of infection. The report also includes mortality rates by vaccination status, where National Immunisation Management system (NIMS) is used for the denominator.
2. The percentages and absolute numbers on all deaths (regardless the cause) broken down to vaccination status from the 1 January 2022 till 13.10.22 (week 41)
We hold the following analysis, which provides age-standardised mortality rates for deaths involving coronavirus (COVID-19), non-COVID-19 deaths and all deaths by vaccination status, broken down by age group: Deaths by vaccination status, England - Office for National Statistics. The data are for England only, as vaccinations data for Wales is not yet available to be linked to the mortality dataset and the Public Data Health Asset (PDHA) covers England only.
There will be a delay in publishing the next edition of the deaths by vaccination status dataset as we require data on subsequent booster vaccinations and will be updating to the 2021 Census populations. The next publication date will be announced on our Release Calendar.
As the data for May to October 2022 is due to be published in the future, this information is exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. As a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.
Should you wish to enquire about mortality information for Northern Ireland and Scotland, this can be requested from the following organisations:
Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency
Tel: 02890 255156
Email: info@nisra.gov.uk
Website: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/
National Records of Scotland
Tel: 0131 3144299
Email: statisticscustomerservices@nrscotland.gov.uk
Website: www.nrscotland.gov.uk