Marie Curie is marking March 23, which is two years since Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the first UK-wide lockdown, as the National Day of Reflection. The charity is encouraging people to come together to honor the lives lost to Covid-19 and provide support to those grieving, particularly in Enfield where statistics highlight the significant impact of the pandemic.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, there have been 918 deaths related to Covid-19 registered in Enfield up to March 12. Of these, 710 occurred in hospitals, 124 in care homes, 72 at private homes, and 8 in hospices, with an additional 4 deaths in other locations. Deaths outside hospital settings accounted for 23% of the total toll.

The figures include deaths up to March 4 that were registered within eight days. The data is based on mentions of Covid-19 on death certificates. The deadliest week in Enfield was in the seven days to April 10, 2020, with 89 reported deaths. These deaths contributed to a total of 22,774 in London and 159,419 in England up to March 12.

Marie Curie’s bereavement coordinator, Claire Collins, emphasized the importance of coming together on March 23 to reflect collectively on losses in a mindful way. A minute’s silence will be observed at midday, with people encouraged to shine a light at 8pm or display flowers in windows as a show of support.

Separate figures from the UK coronavirus dashboard indicate the death rate within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test in Enfield. The cumulative death rate in the area stood at 212.8 deaths per 100,000 people on March 16, compared to 251.1 across England. The Health Foundation highlighted higher excess deaths in the UK compared to Europe, particularly affecting disadvantaged communities.

Dr. Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the charity, stressed the need to understand and address disparities in Covid-19 mortality rates across different communities to build resilience against future health threats. The ONS data also reveals that avoidable mortality in Great Britain in 2020 was the highest since 2010, including deaths due to Covid-19.

Local authority figures show that in Enfield, 1,572 deaths were categorized as avoidable between 2018 and 2020, with a rate of 217.9 per 100,000 people, showing an increase from the previous period.