INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION (CODING) OF COVID-19 AS CAUSE OF DEATH

2. DEFINITION FOR DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19 A death due to COVID-19 is defined for surveillance purposes as a death resulting from a clinically compatible illness, in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease (e.g. trauma). There should be no period of complete recovery from COVID-19 between illness and death. A death due to COVID-19 may not be attributed to another disease (e.g. cancer) and should be counted independently of preexisting conditions that are suspected of triggering a severe course of COVID-19. 3. GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFYING COVID-19 AS A CAUSE OF DEATH In view of COVID-19 it is important to record and report deaths due to COVID-19 in a uniform way. A- RECORDING COVID-19 ON THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF CAUSE OF DEATH COVID-19 should be recorded on the medical certificate of cause of death for ALL decedents where the disease caused, or is assumed to have caused, or contributed to death.

B- TERMINOLOGY The use of official terminology, COVID-19, should be used for all certification of this cause of death. As there are many types of coronaviruses, it is recommended not to use “coronavirus” in place of COVID-19. This helps to reduce uncertainty for the classification or coding and to correctly monitor these deaths.

C- CHAIN OF EVENTS Specification of the causal sequence leading to death in Part 1 of the certificate is important. For example, in cases when COVID-19 causes pneumonia and fatal respiratory distress, both pneumonia and respiratory distress should be included, along with COVID-19, in Part 1. Certifiers should include as much detail as possible based on their knowledge of the case, as from medical records, or about laboratory testing.

This has been taken from

https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/Guidelines_Cause_of_Death_COVID-19.pdf?ua=1#:~:text=

In my words -

• Language like probable or confirmed within this document feels vague enough to allow Govt's to do all sorts of fancy footwork with stats.    People need to refer to the definitions included in Coronavirus Act 2020 for the UK's 'interpretation/manipulation'.

• http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/7/contents/enacted