Covid count

[TomK]

Of course the following numbers mean nothing if you have lost a loved one to Covid.  However for the sake of perspective, the American infection rate is 9%. Of those infected the fatality rate is only 1.7%.  Fatality rate of the entire US population?  O.18%  Worldwide fatality rate? 0.05%

I'm just curious. Do you know what the numbers would be without COVID vaccines?

[AaronM]

I don't have them on hand but I recall the pre-vaccine numbers being similarly unimpressive.

[achutch3]

Diabetes, cholesterol, heart disease, sedentary lifestyle... poor diet... suicide, depression, opioids,

The drop in life expectancy is from 2019 to 2020, over a single year.  All of the factors listed above have been around for decades so may affect year to year changes, but probably not as drastically as the 1.5 year reduction found in the study.  COVID was the only major health change that I know of from 2019 to 2020.

But we’ll see this Saturday.  Greasy cheeseburgers and other fast food menu items are known contributors to diabetes, cholesterol, & heart disease, so when McDonalds at Puna Kai Shopping Center has their $.50 cheeseburger special, limit 10 per car, on July 24, we’ll see how quickly ambulances are called out, the hospital fills up, and bodies line the road from Pahoa to Hilo.  I expect it won’t be that immediate, and is more likely to affect life expectancy statistics over the long term.  Unless you include 10 large fries with your order.

I agree all of those things have been around for years and are normally a slow gradual development.  It is pretty clear the drop in life expectancy is due to COVID but I was saying the pandemic has compounded these "underlying" conditions.

I think many people were borderline on al lot of those things and the virus simply pushed it over the edge.  Someone unfit or unhealthy in a different way with a compromised immune system probably run a greater risk of death from the virus if they catch it.  Of course there are always anomalies but I think we're talking about the masses. 

On the mental side of things suicide, depression, drug/alcohol use I think these things were compounded as well.  Not specifically due to the virus physically but due to the lockdown and lack of human interaction.  Again. maybe quite a feew that were borderline on some of these things but the lockdown pushed them over the edge.

Just thoughts.

Now go get one of those .50 cheeseburgers!

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I say drop all restrictions. People who refuse to get vaccinated have made their choice; holding the rest of us hostage to the choices of a few is causing more damage than COVID. I realize the permanent state of emergency is very lucrative for the State, but this does not an economy make, especially when they keep all the bailout money for themselves.

Agreed.

[AaronM]

As it always should have been. Lockdowns should have been voluntary. Masks should have been voluntary. Vaccines should be voluntary. Freedom is not selective.

[Carey]

IF you roll back restrictions, what will you do for the fools that only get a vaccine so they can go to a restricted ballgame???
& it is easy to act as if vaccinated people are totally immune to the infection... but that is not the case... in fact yesterday our state had the report of a COVID death of a vaccinated person... these things still will happen, as the vaccines are only about 99% effective in preventing death, less than that in preventing hospitalization and even less than that in preventing any COVID infection ( although it is much less likely to be hospitalized due to COVID if you have been vaccinated, death rates per hospitalization are very close to the same ... & though we may wrap ourselves in the belief that COVID deaths are only happening to those that hav preexisting illness, that is also a false belief...

The sad truth with this new variant, IT IS BEST TO TREAT EVERYONE YOU ARE NOT INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH AS IF THEY ARE DISEASED.... MASK UP & GET VACCINATED!!!!
https://www.mlb.com/news/fans-can-get-va...ee-stadium

[AaronM]

To each his or her own.

[kander]

Just looking at the statistics and death rate, and the extreme push for the vaccination, which is only under Emergency use authorization. It does not instill confidence.  We went from free doughnuts to we know where you live in a very short time.

The spike protein mechanism imho seems to have the potential for some dire long term consequences.
in the meantime, you can follow along on a small percentage (2-5%) of reported side effects.  https://www.openvaers.com/covid-data

[randomq]

https://www.factcheck.org/2021/03/sciche...-vaccines/

Please don't spread fear about a life saving vaccine because some internet okole is making up drama to be popular. And please don't discount 600,000 Americans dying as "unimpressive".

[kalianna]

Well said, randomq.

[TomK]

As it always should have been.  Lockdowns should have been voluntary.  Masks should have been voluntary.  Vaccines should be voluntary.  Freedom is not selective.

Well, until your freedom or your way of life is under threat. I would like to see you say what you just did to WWII veterans who had little choice when they made the sacrifices they did, including many in Hawaii. They did it to protect freedom and the way of life people want. Please consider what they went through and compare it to what people are being asked to do now - mask up, get vaccinated and socially distance yourselves. None of that compares to those who lost their lives to give you that choice. Perhaps you could honor them by just doing the right thing, with little sacrifice to you, and help us overcome this pandemic.