Why are people determined to believe the absolute worst?

[TheDailyCarbunkle]

As of Jan 21st 4,717 people in England between the ages of 0-59 died with coronavirus. That includes people with severe health conditions who are very vulnerable to all illnesses. Considering there are about 50.6 million people in that age group in England, that number represents 0.0093% of that age group. To put that number in context, in 2018 27,198 people under the age of 64 died of pneumonia and influenza (which are categorised together by the ONS) - conditions that most people don't worry very much about, especially if they are generally healthy.

In Sweden, the number of deaths of people under 70, as of Feb 2021, is 1,113. Again that includes clinically vulnerable people. It represents about 0.013% of that section of the population. That's with schools open for younger people the whole time, shops and restaurants open, hairdressers open, gatherings of up to 50 people allowed etc etc.

All over the world, no matter what the mitigation measures have been, the deaths of under 70s have been low, especially when compared to other respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and flu. The threat to people under 70, even people who are clinically vulnerable, is not high. The threat to people with no illnesses is extremely low, so low that at times the ONS has had to stop reporting it.

So why do people still believe they're in huge danger?

Because the virus was unknown at the start, brand new, so obviously that creates fear and caution.

People are slowly coming around to it now we know more....slowly being the key word 😂

Some people on the likes of MN and SM love to whip up hysteria by spreading half-truths and misinterpreted information.

Schools going back on the 8th March is a case in point - some of the threads on here on the last few days have been ridiculous with the Covid know-it-alls out in force yet again.

I don’t know anyone irl who behaves like they are a world authority on everything Covid like I have seen on here in the past year.

Some people are addicted to fear like an alcoholic to alcohol

Some people on the likes of MN and SM love to whip up hysteria

I couldn’t agree more.

Some people are loving the drama. They’ll all be on in a moment to throw lots of ‘evidence’ at you as to why we should stay locked down, but really they just can’t bear the idea of all the drama being over.

Because people read clickbate articles and take anecdotes as gospel.

Organisations target SM, including MN, to ramp up fear, prolong fear, shame dissenters, censor controversial comments, encourage posters to jump on the bandwagon of shaming, stoke more fear and so on.

People who aren't fearful switch off and avoid MN so the balance is tipped in favour of an even more fearful vibe with more hysteria and nonsense being peddled.

Only one thought is allowed on certain topics!

I couldn't agree more.

Brace yourselves for the incoming posts telling you that you are sacrificing people over 70 etc. though!

I totally agree op, you are a voice of reason. However you will probably get shot down very shortly.

Because it isn't about deaths. It is about those who are very sick filling up and overwhelming the hospitals which means that even those who are well cannot access services if they need them.

As has been pointed out by every scientist, newspaper and politician and even by every slogan.

Where have you been, OP, that you have managed to completely MISS what the danger is?

Why are you MISREPRESENTING what the danger is?

Are you another Russian bot?

OP is normal.

OP, I’ve been wondering the same, but it seems to be considered a very unpopular view. This situation appears to have exacerbated health anxiety in lots of people and has led them to disdainfully view other humans as vectors of infection. It’s incredibly worrying. The fact there is risk in so much of what we do, and yet people focus intently on the threat of Covid absolutely baffles me.

Because some people, even on MN, are over 59, and they're not very comforted by people saying "there have been hardly any deaths in people under 59".

Plenty of people over 59 know the risk of both catching covid and getting sick from it is still very low.

@Haffiana

Because it isn't about deaths. It is about those who are very sick filling up and overwhelming the hospitals which means that even those who are well cannot access services if they need them.

As has been pointed out by every scientist, newspaper and politician and even by every slogan.

Where have you been, OP, that you have managed to completely MISS what the danger is?

Why are you MISREPRESENTING what the danger is?

Are you another Russian bot?

I think you’ve missed the point of what the OP is saying.

She’s saying that there are a significant number of people whose fear of the getting the virus (as it relates to them personally) is disproportionate to the actual statistical risk they face.

As I read it, she’s not arguing that the virus doesn’t have a wider impact on the provision of health services or that we shouldn’t be concerned about it.

I don't think people enjoy lockdown, but I think people like to paint people in that light because they cannot understand why people may have a different point of view to them. Everything on social media is in absolutes. You're either overjoyed or a doom monger.

A lot of people were celebrating after last night. I was not one of them, at least not completely. I am cautiously optimistic but the government's track record to date does not give me much hope. I hope they're made the right call in going against the rest of the UK by sending all children back at once without any meaningful mitigating safeguards, but my head says not to get too hopeful.

Again, this does not mean I want lockdown to continue. I do not like lockdown. Me saying I think the plan is risky does not mean I want it to fail or that I want to heap misery onto people. I want it to succeed.

I do think lockdown suits some people though- children at home, not having to commute, rather than just saying no to invites which a lot of people seem incapable of doing they don't need an excuse to not bother, saving money as stuff isn't open etc. I do think for some the real reason is they are scared/annoyed at 'real life' resuming.

I’m not fearful for myself but I do know first hand the devastation that this has wreaked on the NHS and that’s what distresses me.

I’m delighted by schools going back and the road map to normality now — and utterly baffled by the massive negativity I’ve seen on here about how it’s all going to pan out.

I agree @CheeseJalapenoBread

The op ends with "So why do people still believe they're in huge danger?"

Some people have empathy and critical thinking. Others just think they do whilst clinging to them cognitive dissonance that suits their own interests.

I agree.

Because misery likes company.

I think you’ve missed the point of what the OP is saying.

She’s saying that there are a significant number of people whose fear of the getting the virus (as it relates to them personally) is disproportionate to the actual statistical risk they face.

As I read it, she’s not arguing that the virus doesn’t have a wider impact on the provision of health services or that we shouldn’t be concerned about it.

Nope. She asked "So why do people still believe they're in huge danger?"

If health services are overrun, then we are in danger. The fact that our individual chance of dying directly from covid DESPITE NHS TREATMENT is small is irrelevant.

The danger is because we are at risk of dying indirectly from it either because we cannot be treated or because we cannot be treated for something else that would normally have a good chance of survival.

If health services are overrun, then we are in danger. The fact that our individual chance of dying directly from covid DESPITE NHS TREATMENT is small is irrelevant.

Ok, and now the NHS is able to cope things are going to be opening up again so your point is....? The NHS is nearly “overrun” every year in flu season btw.

Many reasons. One would be the fact that just because you don’t die in 30 days (or whatever the cut off is) the danger of being very ill and long term damage to organs etc is unknown. It may well contribute to the shortening of a life albeit not within 30 days. Long covid was reported in circa 10% of cases at one point which is quite significant risk wise. Death is not the only danger at play here.