The CDC estimates between 12,000-61,000 US flu deaths/year have occurred during the last 10 flu seasons. (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/index.html)
The US experienced its first 100 COVID-19 deaths on Mar. 17, 2020. Currently, the US is up to 173,000 deaths in the 5 month period since the first 100 deaths. (https://coronavirus.jhu.edu)
Extrapolate that rate to a one year basis, and COVID-19 would have 415,000 US deaths in one year. At least in the US, the evidence shows that COVID-19 will likely result in 10 times the number of average seasonal flu deaths (415,000/36,500 = 11). It would be very difficult to argue that COVID-19 is no more deadly than the flu.[/quote]
Except that your numbers are generalized and come with no cohorts and age breakdowns. So the scare here is, everyone is susceptible. And frankly that’s not true.
https://www.franklintempleton.com/inves ... ience.html
Six months into this pandemic, Americans still dramatically misunderstand the risk of dying from COVID-19:
On average, Americans believe that people aged 55 and older account for just over half of total COVID-19 deaths; the actual figure is 92%.
Americans believe that people aged 44 and younger account for about 30% of total deaths; the actual figure is 2.7%.
Americans overestimate the risk of death from COVID-19 for people aged 24 and younger
by a factor of 50; and they think the risk for people aged 65 and older is half of what it actually is (40% vs 80%).
Covid Virus deaths are discriminatory to the older age bracket with CoMorbidities.
It’s not about just taking it seriously, its about understanding what it is. It’s not Ebola. It’s not Marburg. Were it so, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. And regarding the 747’s crashing, were they all being driven by 80 yr olds with CHF and COPD? That’s the only valid analogy using 747’s crashing into the ground.[/quote]
My comment was in response to the poster that asked how many 747's crash each day with people who have the flu, implying that the death burden of the flu was equal to or greater than that for COVID-19. The evidence shows that is simply not the case. In fact, the evidence shows the COVID burden is closer to 10 times that of the flu.
Reread my comment. I never said or implied that every age group had an equal change of death. I just quoted total numbers. I think most people understand that diseases like the flu and COVID-19 are highly skewed towards older populations and those with existing health conditions, with the flu being no different than COVID-19. Take the 2017-2018 US flu season, 94% of the deaths were for people 50 years or older.
As for the 747 crash analogy, perhaps it's not a perfect one. However, there is no denying that COVID-19 has been a major health crisis and has been in the top 3 leading causing of deaths in the US, along with cancer and heart disease.