Pandemic Impact

[PuzzledObserver]

The debate has raged about the true death rate ('of' versus 'from' Covid), the 28-day limit etc, in comparison with those who have died of other causes because they couldn't/didn't get treatment, increased suicides and DV during lockdown etc.

Here's one way of looking at it, using the graphic from the BBC:

Those who have died within 28 days of Covid test: 52,147. These are the ones of whom it has been said said "it includes people who had Covid, recovered, and then fell under a bus" etc.... but it excludes anyone who tested positive for Covid and then lingered for weeks in ITU before they died.

Those whose death certificates mention Covid-19: 63,874. IMO, this is the better measure of deaths directly caused by Covid. The doctor who saw them and signed their death certificates believes that Covid was the main or a major contributory cause of their death. Without Covid, they would not have died now. Many of course were elderly and frail and could have died of other causes within the next year. But many others had a long life expectancy ahead of them.

Then there's excess deaths over and above the usual for this time of year: 70, 839. So that's 7,000 more than died of Covid. These are the extra suicides and murders (not very many of those, actually), and the people whose treatment was delayed or impaired because of pressure on the NHS. These are the indirect victims of the pandemic.

There were always going to be some of those. Please, as you debate the government response, recognise that there was no way that we were ever going to get through this without some people who didn't catch Covid themselves suffering and in some case dying as a consequence of the pandemic. Maybe it could have been fewer than this. But it could also have been a lot more.

And then, there are those with Long Covid - which is more than post-viral fatigue, it includes damage to a whole range of body systems. How many affected? Last I saw, around 60,000 - of the same order as the number who have died. It's such a big problem, the government is setting up 40 clinics around the country to help people with rehabilitation.

Will they eventually return to full functioning? Some, probably. Others not.

And then there are those who have lost out financially (which will eventually be all of us, because sooner or later there will be tax increases), whose mental health has been adversely affected, education and social wellbeing set back.

Why am I posting? Not sure really. I like to think out loud, I guess. This is a shitty situation..... but there are vaccines coming. It is going to be months before even the most vulnerable are vaccinated, and months more before it can reach everyone who is willing to be vaccinated. But the sooner that happens, the sooner that death rate will slow down and eventually stop rising. The sooner the number of Long Covid cases will stop rising. The sooner businesses will be able to fully reopen, schools will be able to stay open without bubbles going off every 5 minutes....

Until then, we've got to keep on with distancing and all that stuff.... which, as we know, is very unnatural human behaviour and not good for us. So don't you want it over as quickly as possible? I do. So I am being very careful not to catch or transmit the virus. That's the way that I, personally, can contribute to ending the awful toll of this virus, in all its forms.

[TheDailyCarbuncle]

I'm going to state something I feel quite strongly, which is that dying from an infection is tragic and awful and ideally it shouldn't happen, but unfortunately it does, especially when the virus is new and contagious.

Dying because your government couldn't give a shit about what you need and prioritised other people over you is an outrage and I am genuinely surprised that people seem to accept deaths caused by lockdowns as unavoidable collateral damage. It is disgusting.

A pandemic should be dealt with, but not at the cost of people's lives. That is my opinion.

[TheDailyCarbuncle]

I will also state that condemning old people to death from confusion, loneliness and despair and couching it as being 'for their own good' because of a pathological fixation on one virus is bordering on psychopathic. I think people in the future will realise that but I wish they'd fucking realise it now.

[PuzzledObserver]

Well that’s partly my point - it is not only those who have died of Covid who have suffered from Covid.