Sounds like we have something approximating to a control group then, compared to the rest of the country. Are hospitalisations/deaths currently running much higher in London than the rest of England?
For hospital deaths, recent data and graphs for London, along with comparisons for England as a whole can be found here:
Because the figures are incomplete interpretation is not easy.
Deaths outside of hospitals
The data published by NHS England does not include deaths that occur outside of hospitals, i.e. those in homes, hospices, and care homes.
ONS have published data for deaths by place of occurrence. This shows that, up to 20 August, 78% of deaths in London recorded as involving COVID-19 occurred in hospitals (this compares with 42% for all causes of death). This would suggest that the NHS England data may underestimate overall deaths from COVID-19 by around 20%.
But what I can say is that the current Covid case rates are significantly lower for London when compared with England as a whole. The most recent 7 day figures seen are:
London all age 232.4 cases per 100,000 population.
England all age 362.9 cases per 100,000 population.
As ever multiple factors will be affecting this, not least perhaps that London generally front ran the numbers in the earliest phases of infection.
In other news:
The BBC are reporting (yes I know!): [and I am struggling with the rather jumbled reporting]
Firms are told they can temporarily reduce the amount of chemicals used for treating waste water.
www.bbc.co.uk
This has the potential to affect us all if not quickly resolved. Some decent rain (very little rain here in East Mids. for some time) might help with dilution of any poor quality sewage discharges but might in turn make it more difficult for the raw drinking water!
The Environment Agency has told water firms they can temporarily reduce the amount of chemicals used for the treatment of waste water.
The move comes in response to problems in the chemical supply chain caused by the lorry driver shortage.
Water UK said there was no shortage of the chemicals, just a distribution issue.
The government said it was a short-term measure and firms wishing to make use of it had to seek official approval.
The Environment Agency issued a regulatory statement authorising "a temporary reduction in the dosage used to treat waste water".
The Chemical Business Association (CBA), which represents chemical businesses within the supply chain, had expressed concern that its members were struggling to get chemicals into the logistics network and to water companies because of a shortage of HGV drivers.
"Our member companies have been reporting ever increasing difficulties in sourcing and maintaining deliveries into the chemical supply chain, all of which we have been highlighting to government, said Tim Doggett, chief executive of the CBA.
"Inevitably these issues are now beginning to impact the our water supply. As such we're now calling on government for urgent and increased action to help tackle these issues."
A spokesperson for Water UK said: "We are currently experiencing some disruption to the supply in England of ferric sulphate, a chemical used at some drinking and waste water treatment sites.
"This will not affect the supply of drinking water. As a precaution, however, we are monitoring the situation due to the use of ferric sulphate in some waste treatment works.
"We are working closely with government and our chemical suppliers to ensure disruption is minimised.
"This issue has arisen due to a shortage of HGV drivers in the UK. There is no shortage of ferric sulphate in factories; the issue is solely one of distribution."
A government spokesperson said: "This action is strictly time-limited and there are robust conditions in place to mitigate risks to the environment.
"The most sensitive and high-risk watercourses will not be affected and any company planning to make use of this short-term measure must first agree its use with the Environment Agency, which will be checking compliance."
