The EU recorded an increased excess mortality rate of 19% in December 2022 compared to the average for the same month in the pre-pandemic period, newly published Eurostat statistics reveal. The revelation comes as MEPs probe the potential link between excess mortality and the bloc’s controversial vaccine rollout.
During the pandemic, excess mortality for the EU increased by 30% and 24% for December 2020 and December 2021 respectively, largely driven by COVID deaths.
The figures for December 2022 varied drastically between countries, with Romania and Bulgaria being major exceptions to the trend, noting a 6% drop in excess mortality. Both Romania and Bulgaria, despite significant mortality spikes during the pandemic, had the lowest rates of vaccinations, with 33% and 30% respectively receiving the vaccine.
On the other end of the scale, Germany witnessed a 37% increase in mortality rates for the month, with most western European countries recording increases of >25%. No data was available for Italy and Sweden.
The Republic of Ireland, which noted the highest vaccination rate with 96.3% of the population receiving the vaccine, registered a 25% increase in excess mortality relative to previous years.
The December 2022 figures are an increase over November 2022 figures which recorded just an 8% in excess mortality increase from previous years. Previous increases in excess mortality have been blamed on summer heatwaves.
The publication of the new Eurostat statistics coincided with EU officials scrutinising the bloc’s controversial vaccine rollout and the potential health impacts of vaccination.
Speaking to The European Conservative, Romanian MEP and lockdown sceptic Cristian Terhes says that authorities must be open-minded about the causes of the increase, casting doubt on official narratives:
Clearly the only sensible option is to ask experts knowledgeable in this field to study and report on this phenomenon.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has come under political pressure for her role in the vaccine procurement process, with MEPs examining the EU’s pandemic response through the special committee on lessons learned from the crisis.
