All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
Background The mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 has been commonly considered the best response to the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis. However, assessment of its real-world effect can be performed by analysis of all-cause mortality by vaccination status. The UK is perhaps the only country...
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2025-02-01
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| author | Marco Alessandria Alberto Donzelli Marco Cosentino Giovanni Di Palmo Giovanni Malatesta |
| author_facet | Marco Alessandria Alberto Donzelli Marco Cosentino Giovanni Di Palmo Giovanni Malatesta |
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| description | Background The mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 has been commonly considered the best response to the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis. However, assessment of its real-world effect can be performed by analysis of all-cause mortality by vaccination status. The UK is perhaps the only country which has made publicly available all-cause mortality data by vaccination status. Methods Data from April 2021 to May 2023 published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) were retrospectively analyzed by age groups and vaccination status; the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all-cause and non-COVID-19 mortality was calculated against the corresponding unvaccinated groups. Results We found that across all age groups, all-cause mortality SMRs increased from a certain date, dependent on the age group. Across all age groups, all-cause mortality SMRs were initially much lower than 1. However, due to their increase, by a certain date for the 18-39, 80-89 and 90+ age groups they exceeded the reference value. For the other age groups, the date at which the SMR would reach 1 can be predicted, provided the trend is maintained. Non-COVID-19 SMRs’ trends were very similar. Their initial values much lower than 1 are suggestive of significant biases in the ONS dataset, leading to underestimate the risks for the vaccinated people, as it is implausible that COVID-19 vaccines protect against non-COVID-19 deaths. Conclusions The increase over time in all-cause death SMRs in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated, and their excess from the reference values for certain age groups, should be carefully considered to understand the underlying factors. Furthermore, since the initial values of the SMRs are much lower than 1, we assume the presence of significant biases in the ONS dataset, leading to understimate the risks for the vaccinated people, as it is implausible that COVID-19 vaccines protect against non-COVID-19 deaths. It would be desirable for other major countries to systematically collect all-cause mortality by vaccination status and, in the meantime, a pending indepth investigations, much greater caution should be exercised in promoting mass vaccination campaigns. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-d826690a1eaf4ac49d66e48acabe769f2025-08-20T02:54:54ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022025-02-011310.12688/f1000research.154058.2177063All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]Marco Alessandria0Alberto Donzelli1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4365-6814Marco Cosentino2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6978-7775Giovanni Di Palmo3Giovanni Malatesta4Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, ItalyMD, Specialist in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, independent Medical-Scientific Commission; President, Fondazione Allineare Sanità e Salute, Milano, ItalyCenter for Research in Medical Pharmacology, University of Insubria, Varese, ItalyB.E., Data Analysis Specialist, Taranto, ItalyPhysics Graduate, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Fondazione Allineare Sanità e Salute, Pistoia, ItalyBackground The mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 has been commonly considered the best response to the global COVID-19 pandemic crisis. However, assessment of its real-world effect can be performed by analysis of all-cause mortality by vaccination status. The UK is perhaps the only country which has made publicly available all-cause mortality data by vaccination status. Methods Data from April 2021 to May 2023 published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) were retrospectively analyzed by age groups and vaccination status; the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all-cause and non-COVID-19 mortality was calculated against the corresponding unvaccinated groups. Results We found that across all age groups, all-cause mortality SMRs increased from a certain date, dependent on the age group. Across all age groups, all-cause mortality SMRs were initially much lower than 1. However, due to their increase, by a certain date for the 18-39, 80-89 and 90+ age groups they exceeded the reference value. For the other age groups, the date at which the SMR would reach 1 can be predicted, provided the trend is maintained. Non-COVID-19 SMRs’ trends were very similar. Their initial values much lower than 1 are suggestive of significant biases in the ONS dataset, leading to underestimate the risks for the vaccinated people, as it is implausible that COVID-19 vaccines protect against non-COVID-19 deaths. Conclusions The increase over time in all-cause death SMRs in vaccinated people compared to unvaccinated, and their excess from the reference values for certain age groups, should be carefully considered to understand the underlying factors. Furthermore, since the initial values of the SMRs are much lower than 1, we assume the presence of significant biases in the ONS dataset, leading to understimate the risks for the vaccinated people, as it is implausible that COVID-19 vaccines protect against non-COVID-19 deaths. It would be desirable for other major countries to systematically collect all-cause mortality by vaccination status and, in the meantime, a pending indepth investigations, much greater caution should be exercised in promoting mass vaccination campaigns.https://f1000research.com/articles/13-886/v2COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccinations; all-cause mortality; Standardized Mortality Ratioeng |
| spellingShingle | Marco Alessandria Alberto Donzelli Marco Cosentino Giovanni Di Palmo Giovanni Malatesta All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] F1000Research COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccinations; all-cause mortality; Standardized Mortality Ratio eng |
| title | All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full | All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_fullStr | All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_full_unstemmed | All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_short | All-cause mortality according to COVID-19 vaccination status: An analysis of the UK office for National statistics public data [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] |
| title_sort | all cause mortality according to covid 19 vaccination status an analysis of the uk office for national statistics public data version 2 peer review 2 approved |
| topic | COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccinations; all-cause mortality; Standardized Mortality Ratio eng |
| url | https://f1000research.com/articles/13-886/v2 |
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