Covid-19: Mansfield and Ashfield's death toll two years on

Marie Curie is commemorating Wednesday, March 23 – two years after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the first UK-wide lockdown – as the National Day of Reflection.

The charity is urging people to come together to remember the lives of those lost to Covid-19 and support the millions of people across the UK who are grieving – as figures reveal the extent of the deadly toll in Mansfield.

Office for National Statistics figures show that in Mansfield 402 deaths involving Covid-19 had been provisionally registered up to March 12, alongside 499 in Ashfield.

Of these deaths in Mansfield, 282 were in hospitals and 85 in care homes, while 20 occurred in private homes and 12 in hospices. There were also two deaths in another communal establishment, and one elsewhere.

In Ashfield, 361 were in hospitals and 102 in care homes, while 28 occurred in private homes and eight in hospices.

ONS data is based on where Covid-19 is mentioned anywhere on the death certificate.

The deaths are among 14,492 registered across the East Midlands to March 12 and 159,419 across England.

Mindful

Claire Collins, Marie Curie bereavement coordinator, said coming together on March 23 is a way to ‘reflect on our collective losses in a mindful way’.

She said: “There are still millions of people living with the deep trauma of losing a loved one during the last two years and we hope everyone finds comfort and embraces the day, whether you have had a close bereavement or not."

A minute's silence will be held on March 23 at noon to commemorate the day, and people are being encouraged to shine a light at 8pm, or display flowers in their window to show support.

The Health Foundation said there have been notably higher excess deaths in the UK over the pandemic compared to the rest of Europe, with some communities particularly hard hit.

Dr Jennifer Dixon, foundation chief executive, said: "Working age adults in the poorest parts of the country were almost four times more likely to die from Covid-19 than those in the wealthiest areas.”

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