The areas with highest and lowest covid death rates in Glasgow since pandemic started

The Glasgow Times has analysed official statistics showing the covid death rates in the city and areas of multiple deprivation.

Using the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) data on deaths and deprivation statistics for almost two years, between March 2020 at the start of the pandemic and January 31 this year, we found the stark divide between the most deprived and least deprived areas.

Today for the first time, we reveal the local communities with the highest and lowest covid death rates.

Statistics for more than 100 areas across the city show that those with the highest covid death rate are in the parts of the city which have more areas of multiple deprivation.

While there are areas with high deprivation with lower death rates and areas with low deprivation and higher rates the overall picture is the most deprived areas have suffered the most deaths.

The ten areas with highest rates for deaths since the pandemic began in March are mostly in the north and east of the city and the areas with the lowest are mainly in the west and south.

The highest rate of covid deaths in Glasgow between March 2020 and January 31 this year was in Drumchapel South where the rate per 100,000 population was 962. There were 48 deaths in the area.

Each area is split into smaller neighbourhoods or datazones.

There are three datazones in Drumchapel South and all are in the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in Scotland.

In Ibrox East and Cessnock, there is a rate of 834 deaths per 100,000 population and 28 deaths.

The area has four datazones and two of them are int eh 20% most deprived in the country.

The third highest, Possilpark had 762 deaths per 100,000 and 48 deaths.

It is home to seven datazones and five are in the 20% most deprived in Scotland.

There is a cluster in the east of the city with covid death rates far higher than the Scottish average.

Carntyne, Central Easterhouse and Parkhead West are all in the list of the ten highest and are among the most deprived in the country.

Carntyne has three out four datazones in the 20% most deprived.

Central Easterhouse has five out five areas in the 20% most deprived while Parkhead West and Barrowfield also has 100% of its seven datazones in the 20% most deprived.

Peter Kelly, Director of Poverty Alliance, said: “Inadequate levels of social security, insecure, low paid work and poor housing created conditions where people on the lowest incomes where more at risk from covid.

“Health inequalities that existed before the pandemic were made worse, as these figures illustrate.

“It is vital that the lessons from the pandemic are learned and that we no longer tolerate levels of inequality that have put so many lives at risk.

“There is an urgent need to ensure work is secure and pays at least the real Living Wage, and that our social security system provides genuine and adequate support to all who need it.”

At the other end of the scale those with the lowest rates are home to areas with fewer areas of deprivation.

The lowest death rate is jointly held by in Shawlands East and Finnieston and Kelvinhaugh both with a rate of 28 per 100,000.

Shawlands East, which had just one death recorded has zero of its four datazones in the 20% most deprived, while Finnieston and Kelvinhaugh, with three deaths, has just one of its seven datazones (14%) in the 20% most deprived

Anderston, where two of its six areas (33%) are in the 20% most deprived, makes up the three lowest.

Anderston recorded two deaths and a rate of 36 per 100,000 population.

Other areas among the lowest covid death rates in the city include North Kelvin with 48 per 100,000 and two deaths, it has zero of its five datazones in the 20% most deprived.

Kelvingrove and University with 63 deaths per 100,000 and zero out its seven datazones are in the 20% most deprived.

The other areas making up the ten lowest in the city are City Centre South, Glasgow Harbour/Partick East, Landside, Partick and Alexandra Parade.