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Is Covid ‘Ferocious’ in India?
You can find a million examples like this, but I’m posting it anyway.
The news:
Note the word “ferocious” in the above. “India is experiencing a ferocious new Covid-19 wave.”
Now let’s look at the data:
Yes, India had a recent rise in cases, and it was definitely a cause for concern. There is a new variant that makes it doubly a cause for concern. But look at the case rate in context, on a “per-million” basis. It didn’t get to the levels seen in the EU or US, and now seems on a downward trend. That could change, of course, but to call it “ferocious?”
India’s covid death rate was rising along with its case rate, suggesting that it wasn’t a nothing-burger. But it seems to have leveled off, well short of levels seen in the EU and US. There could be new peaks to come. So, a matter of concern, yes. But “ferocious?” Maybe that word should be saved for later, in case it comes about.
In most parts of the world, the drop in covid cases and deaths seems roughly correlated with an increase in vaccinations. But India still has only 10 percent of its population vaccinated. That is a matter of concern. One wonders what could keep the case and death rates from rising again, and quickly. But it’s a little early to be calling what we’ve had so far, “ferocious,” isn’t it?
But that’s our news media. They do what they do.
Published in Journalism
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/05/lets_demand_a_recountof_covid_deaths.html
In 2019, the CDC recommendation was that masks were not helpful for respiratory viruses for common people. There is some evidence that professionals can benefit, but not regular people in the real world. I expect the calculus might change with Wuhan Lab Flu that has an R0 of about 3.0, but there were no studies to confirm it.
The entire medical profession failed by allowing for literal sham studies against HCQ to be published in leading journals and promoted everywhere. Further the profession (mostly) went along with the Big Pharma block on treatments. Millions died because the profession as a whole failed. Yes, there were some brave medical professionals–true heroes–that went against the established and treated patients and saved lives, but not enough. 10 years from now most people will think about the toilet paper shortages, but I will think about how the medical
professionindustry failed, when the world most needed them and how a little bureaucrat with a Brooklyn accent secretly funded a lab that created a deadly Frankenvirus and was treated as a hero.Here are the CDC guidelines on reporting Covid deaths:
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvss/vsrg/vsrg03-508.pdf
Here is the first critical paragraph from the guidelines (bold italics are mine):
“If COVID–19 played a role in the death, this condition should be specified on the death certificate. In many cases, it is likely that it will be the UCOD (underlying cause of death), as it can lead to various life-threatening conditions, such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In these cases, COVID–19 should be reported on the lowest line used in Part I with the other conditions to which it gave rise listed on the lines above it.”
Here is the second critical paragraph (bold italics are mine):
“In cases where a definite diagnosis of COVID–19 cannot be made, but it is suspected or likely (e.g., the circumstances are compelling within a reasonable degree of certainty), it is acceptable to report COVID–19 on a death certificate as “probable” or “presumed.” In these instances, certifiers should use their best clinical judgement in determining if a COVID–19 infection was likely. However, please note that testing for COVID–19 should be conducted whenever possible.”
Now here is Dr. Deborah Birx saying “If someone dies with Covid-19, we are counting that as a Covid-19 death.” She goes on to say that other countries count Covid deaths differently than the U.S.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/04/08/dr_birx_unlike_some_countries_if_someone_dies_with_covid-19_we_are_counting_that_as_a_covid-19_death.html
Now combine these liberal guidelines with the cash payouts to hospitals from the Federal Gubmint; 10,000 Dollars for a Covid death, and 40,000 Dollars for a Covid patient on a respirator, and you’ve got a mixture ripe for over-reporting Covid deaths.
The problem with the idea that COVID death counts in the US are inflated is that the raw numbers of excess deaths are so high that mis-attribution cannot possibly account for a large share of of that.
Excess deaths among persons with Alzheimer’s were massive which is both a restatement of the age range of likely COVID victims and the effects of isolation and disruption of normal life. A number of COVID cases were contracted in hospitals by patients who were likely making their last visit there anyway so COVID death counts may be a tad misleading in those instances. But how many people without COVID died from lack of treatment, despair etc who are not counted as COVID deaths.
There’s money to be made with a billion shots of vaccine. Hence, the ferocious.
I’ve been thinking about this a bit more. What we really have from a policy response is (wait for it): Raiders of the Lost Ark.
First, let’s all pull out our bullwhips.
Secondly, let’s note, that all the events of the movie would have happened had Jones done nothing. The dig for the Ark. Transporting the Ark. The Ark stops for tacos. The Arc kills a bunch of Nazis and then just sits there, silently, burping up tacos.
Indy was just along for the ride. At least he got to wear that hat. All we got were masks.
Comment of the month.
Hah! You can’t silently burp up a taco. I’ve tried.
The median age in India is about 29. The median age in the US is about 38.
We had thought that this would be an advantage – and maybe it is – but what turned out to be more significant is the state of the public health system, which is awful.
All else being equal means that a younger population will do better, but all else was not equal – so comparing India and the US is very hard to do with just a focus on median age and death rate.
I think we need to distinguish “#Science” (a Twitter Consensus on campus) from “Science” (lab stuff, numbers, and observation) In the same sort of circular causal reality that our Mother Gaia affirms, #Science becomes Science when it validates the Narrative (Peace Be Upon It) and the Narrative is obviously true because it is supported by Science. To be apart from the Narrative, makes one a denier or a/an [fill in the blank]-phobe. Denunciation of such persons is merely a restatement of the moral condition they created for themselves. People who notice that polar bears are not extinct or that there appears to be a physical, biological basis for sexual identity cannot be doing Science because those errors contradict the Narrative. which is based on Science now that Science and #Science are one. How many fingers am I holding up, Winston, and why is the use of numbers inherently racist?
At the start of covid, China and India were involved in a border war
Ding! Ding! Ding! Give that man a prize! And for extra points whose side is the press on?
I’ve been worried about those elephants all this time as well.