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How the internet reacted to Britain’s Covid death toll passing 100,000

How the internet reacted to Britain’s Covid death toll passing 100,000

More than 100,000 people in the UK have now died from Covid-19 - a sobering statistic that was revealed by prime minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Johnson expressed his “deepest condolences” to everyone that had lost a loved one and claimed that “we truly did everything we could” to prevent the deaths. Meanwhile, separate statistics show that more than 115,000 deaths in the UK have been attributed to Covid-19. 

These figures now leave the UK with the highest death rate in Europe and the fifth-highest in the world behind Mexico, India, Brazil and the United States. The worst affected regions in the country are reportedly the North West, North East and the West Midlands. 

There are a multitude of reasons why the death toll has reached this saddening figure with Prof Linda Bauld from the University of Edinburgh telling BBC News that “a legacy of poor decisions that were taken when we eased restrictions.” Meanwhile, the shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that “I do not accept that” when Johnson said “we truly did everything we could.”

Britain’s newspapers led with the news this morning.

Understandably, many were left feeling deflated by the news and turned their frustrations to the government.

Labour MPs were equally critical of the government and called on its members to learn from their mistakes.

Images like this really put everything into perspective.

This poem from Jackie Kay feels like a more fitting way to remember the departed.

More: How I found purpose in my art during Covid-19 pandemic

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