False labeling deaths as covid19

Still here. I never said or implied that all deaths can or should be attributed to covid-19 in the absence of a positive test. I said that those individuals who die in a situation where the medical examiner has compelling evidence that the individual died from covid-19, then they should be counted.

 

Here's the problem with that line of thinking.

The notion of looking at excess deaths against seasonal averages should only be applied to limited regions if you want to gauge the "real" impact of a specific cause of death. So, for example, Tennessee and New York are obviously seeing vastly different rates of infection and death. And yet both areas are under lockdowns that should reduce other causes of death, like traffic accidents. If you combine those regions (which you would by using the entire nation, obviously), then the lack of all cause deaths in Tennessee would throw off some of the covid-19 excess deaths in New York.

By the way, you are the first person that I have seen to suggest that the excess deaths from all causes actually means that the number of covid-deaths is being over-reported, so this is just me spitballing off the top of my head.

 

Ah you are starting to come around. That's just what the guidance I was referring to says. Doctors can diagnose COVID-19 even with a negative, or no test. Clearly that damages the data of the reported fatality rate down the line.

Why I disagree with it should be obvious. The symptoms of COVID-19 are many and are identical with many other viral and non viral conditions. Why do you want everyone with flu-like symptoms to be reported as having the corona though? That's what I can't figure out.

 

You're a medical professional and I'm not, so I don't know what a post Mortensen test is, but if it's any thing like post mortem, than the answer is, sure. Why not? If there is a question of cause of death.

 

I disagree on whether it damages the data of the reported fatality rate down the line because, as I said, mistakes will happen at the margins. There will almost certainly be some instances where covid deaths are counted incorrectly and some instances where covid deaths are missed completely. Even the flu deaths are just an estimate and we have decades of data on that front.

My preference is the overcount to the undercount with a novel virus because I would prefer to over-react and thereby reduce the threat posed by the virus, for which we have very little information, then to under-react and play catchup.

One could very easily argue that the lack of a willingness to "over-react" sooner is the reason why the current lockdowns and easing are so slow. In fact, there are a number of studies that have proffered in support of the theory that had we engaged in social distancing sooner or ramped up testing sooner, then the degree of shutdown and the degree of harm created by this virus would have been much less.

 

BINGO.

While there may be financial advantages to falsely attributing deaths to COVID ---- and perceived political advantages for Democrats to falsely attribute deaths to COVID ---- it completely hinders things from a scientific / statistical angle to have falsely inflated numbers, and it destroys public trust (among intelligent people, at least) in any claims about COVID #'s and statistics also.

It just seems like a bad idea all around.

But of course it is supported by the same people who want inflated numbers (real or not) for political reasons.

Car wreck ---- he was probably delirious from COVID so he wrecked
Suicide ---- he killed himself because he knew he had COVID
Lifelong smoker with COPD ---- his cough was from COVID
Heart attack ---- his heart was probably weakened by COVID
Drowning ---- he had diminished lung capacity from COVID
Hospice ---- doesn't matter, still COVID

 

The U.S. death rate is fairly stable between 8 to 8.5 deaths per 1000 people per year. We'll know sometime next year how many excess deaths we had, regardless how the "cause of death" is being correctly or incorrectly assigned.

Since none of the other major causes of death have been cured or had new breakthroughs in treatment, then Covid is the only additional cause of death which would show a significant increase.

Right now, all the Covid counters, trackers and dashboards are showing far more "Covid deaths" than the increase of total deaths from all causes.

And, yes, states and regions are having different experiences. The country as a whole has seen decreased death rates in heart disease, strokes, and cancers.

Looking at New York only, the state has had an expected increase in Covid deaths, plus increases in almost all other causes of death. Don't know what's going on up there in New York, but people have been dying left and right in that state far more than 2019...and far more than any other state.

 

Well I agree that in the best of conditions, the data isn't going to be perfect, but it's mind boggling to me that you are arguing that it's OK to alter it in order to bring about a desired policy outcome. Once you open that box, there are lots of ways that data can be manipulated and faked to produce "desired" outcomes.

 

COVID Hoax uber alles.

Vote Democrat 2020