COVID: By The Numbers
covid ·We still have a COVID problem, and we have to deal with it, but it doesn’t seem to be nearly as bad as we’re being lead to believe. I was looking at the latest data from the CDC, and these numbers appear to be much lower than what I’ve been seeing from the various media outlets.
All statistics, given below, are from available data on August 19th, 2020.
Largely ignored is overall context. Currently there are 172k COVID related deaths, in a population of 334.5 million people (that’s .0005% of the total population). To put some perspective on this, according to the CDC there were 169k deaths, in the US, due to unintentional injury (car crash, fall, etc) in 2017.
Of the current COVID deaths, New York, California, Texas and Florida, in that order, make up 64,524 of those deaths (37.51% of the total and, not surprisingly, the four most populous states). New York (with the 4th highest population) has the highest count, claiming nearly three times as many as the next largest, California (the most populated state). These two, alone, make up 25.56% of the total, both while having some of the strictest lockdown mandates in the country.
I’m also seeing that, according to Johns Hopkins Mortality Analysis, the US (the third most populated country in the world) is ranked 12th in COVID related deaths, rated by overall population density. Overall COVID related death numbers per country are skewed, as the accuracy of the data of some countries is questionable, either by lack of proper recording and reporting mechanisms or by outright governmental interference. I don’t have proper evidence to support it, but my opinion is that the US probably falls even lower on this index.
Yes, we need to continue to use some common sense in dealing with COVID, not only as a health crisis but also as a crisis of disinformation. While we do what we can to protect our neighbors and loved ones, through masks and washing hands and distancing, we also have to promote awareness over unnecessary fear and panic.
76% of all US COVID related deaths occurred in people over the age of 55, 66% over the age of 65, and 48% over the age of 75. These numbers alone show us that keeping our distance from these age groups (until the crisis passes) will go a long way towards reducing the number of COVID related deaths in the US. We also know that people with certain underlying medical conditions are at greater risk than others. Go about your daily lives, take necessary action, and avoid these people for their protection. Common sense. Life doesn’t have to stop, we just have to be more aware.