Is A Covid-19 Related Death REALLY Death Caused By Covid-19?

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Everybody knows the number of Covid-19 positive cases escalates daily. Time and again, the TV stations post the startling statistics. In particular, the number of dead. I’m perplexed when the charts, graphs and/or talking heads state Covid-19 related deaths. Whatda you mean “Covid-19 related deaths”? Sounds like flu-like symptoms.

My son catches a brief illness. He coughs, sneezes, aches, you know, flu-like symptoms. It’s similar to the flu, but really not the flu. I wonder. Could Covid-19 related death, in reality, be something else? 

I scoured the internet to resolve my dilemma. Ah, a You Tube video to my rescue. Not some trashy, conspiracy piece. This one features a press conference with the current Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. Her response still floors me.

Not a Covid death? What the _ _ _ _?? Going out on a limb here. The guy at a long-term care facility contracts Covid-19. He suddenly passes away, unannounced. That, my friend, is a Covid-19 related death. Jill is upset after learning she tested positive for Covid-19 and dies in a freak bike accident. A Covid-19 related death. A Covid-19 related death is not necessarily death caused by Covid-19.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike is no rookie. Her credentials reveal a broad medical career as an internist with a fairly strong background in health policy. Still, I double-checked with the CDC for their definition of Covid-19 related death. There’s plenty of medical goop. In plain language, the CDC says if a person tests positive for Covid-19 and somehow, some way expires, the toe tag must include Covid-19 related death.

You may, like me, wonder how many people that die from a Covid-19 related death actually dies because of Covid-19?

Ten per cent, maybe less!

Shall we follow some CDC numbers? As of Monday May 18, 2020, total number of Covid-19 positive and presumed positive cases in the United States: 1,480,349. Covid-19 related deaths: 89,407. Let’s be conservative and use Dr. Ezike’s 10% of Covid-19 related deaths as actually being a death caused by Covid 19. We subtract 90% from 89,407, round off to 8,941 deaths, nationwide, solely caused by Covid-19.  So, depending on how you look at the NUMBERS, anywhere between 6/10th of one percent to 6% of the people presumed or definitively inflicted with Covid-19 have died because of Covid-19! Not my guessing. The words from the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, during a televised press conference with her governor flanked to her left. Check with your state’s public health department to see if they follow the national guidelines.

As I think of the millions of people out of work, behind on their rent/mortgage and other bills, as I ponder the all but ruined summer tourism season, summer camps closed, the millions of high school and college graduates enduring virtual ceremonies and drive-by parties, businesses shuttered, foreclosures, wedding plans shattered, tense domestic relations, and I could go on. It all leads me to this question. Any bets, any frickin’ bets, there will be many more people financially ill from the crisis called pandemic, than medically ill from Covid-19?

 

 

 

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Brian
Brian
Brian is a five decade real radio veteran and the founder of Brian’s Beat, the media company that produces the Brian’s Beat Talk Show, commentaries, several podcast stories, along with Brian’s Beat On The Street.
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