Furlough, working from home and lockdown restrictions led to an increase in household DIY, gardening projects, home baking and other hobbies which in turn increased the number of domestic accidents, NHS data suggests.
Data released by NHS digital for 2020-21 indicate an increase in injury rates during the national lockdowns, ironically for some, staying at home to stay safe from covid caused them to sustain injuries in the home. According to the report, more than 5,600 people required hospitalisation after coming into contact with electric hand tools. These injuries extended another 2,700 people who were injured by non-powered hand tools and 349 were injured whilst using a lawnmower.
The data also highlighted the following injury categories:
- Playgrounds: More than 5,300 people were admitted to hospital after falling from playground equipment, moreover, these statistics are not exclusive to children; 30 of these accidents involved grandparents over the age of 90.
- Animals: Lockdowns triggered a “pet baby boom” and according to March 2021 data from the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, 3.2m households acquired a pet since the beginning of the pandemic. However, not all pets brought the joy they were intended to. 7,386 people were admitted to hospital after being bitten or struck by dogs, along with 47 people suffering rat bites, and 60 people who had come into contact with a venomous spider. Four people were admitted after encountering a scorpion
- Home Baking: A further 2,243 people were admitted to hospital after coming into contact with hot drinks, food, fats and cooking oil.
The figures are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg, representing only those who were admitted to hospital for their injuries. Many more accidents would have been dealt with by A&E doctors and GPs.
