No one knows what the death rate is - that is why different rates are being quoted.The WHO says death rate to date has been 3.4% but they don't think that is what it will probably be in the end. Various different experts have analysed the data and come up with different bands. All those people on these threads who were panicking about the Worldometers 18% death rate should be reassured that it has now come down to 6% and the percentage of those in serious or critical condition has gone down to 13% from 20%.
No one is trying to mislead you. People with more expertise than me (and maybe than you) are making complicated decisions based on all sorts of moving parts - health, hospital capacity, economy, people's livelihood's, frontline staff etc. They may not always get it right but they are not deliberately trying to get it wrong. There isn't necessarily a 'right' way to get it as this is a new and evolving situation. Closing schools brings all sorts of other problems. In Japan children are going to day care instead of school. How does that help?