We Took the Emotion Out of Covid-19 Mania.

Messaging from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and media outlets imply that certain death awaits those who contract Covid-19.

Meanwhile, other sources suggest the virus is a figment of the imagination. With all the mania around the pandemic, we thought it was time to check what the data says about the deadliness of Covid-19.

Covidskeptic.com analyzed the Covid-19 data published by the CDC. Next, we’ll take take a closer look at the data by age group.

Americans 75 Years of Age and Up

The case count among Americans over the age of 75 is 2.1 million with 348 thousand deaths. The mortality rate for the group is 17.29%.

People in this category have a higher relative likelihood of hospitalization due to symptoms. This group is also more likely than younger populations to have weakened immune systems.

The fast rate at which Covid-19 spreads makes it particularly concerning. This is why the virus had such a devastating impact on senior living facilities.

The risks of severe symptoms and complications associated with Covid-19 are high for the 75+ cohort.

Americans 65 Years of Age and Up

The case count for Americans over the age of 65 is 4.8 million with 564 thousand deaths. The mortality rate for the group is 11.76%.

People in this category are more likely to have underlying conditions and weakened immune systems. Keep in mind that this category includes the 75+ group. This cohort can have a variety of profiles and risk factors.

This cohort should take extra precautions as they have a higher relative risk of severe symptoms and complications.

Americans Under 65

The case count for Americans under the age of 65 is 32.9 million with 145.9 thousand deaths. The mortality rate for the group is 0.44%. Most people in this cohort experience mild to moderate symptoms and fully recover completely within weeks.

The under 65 group had almost 7x more infections than the 65+ group. However, the 65+ group had 3x more deaths than those under 65. A majority of those who were hospitalized in the under 65 group had underlying conditions such as hypertension and metabolic disease.

Covid-19 does not pose a particularly high relative risk for healthy individuals under 65 years of age. 

Americans Under 50

The case count for Americans under the age of 50 is 25.6 million with 39.3 thousand deaths. The mortality rate for the group is 0.15%.

A majority of hospitalizations in this group were linked to underlying conditions such as hypertension, obesity, and metabolic disease.

This group contains teens whose mortality rates are below 0.03% even before adjusting for risk factors.

The risks of Covid-19 for this cohort are remarkably low. Most will experience mild to moderate symptoms that clear up completely within weeks. 

Summary of Covid-19 Incidence and Deaths by Age

When you break it down by the numbers, Covid-19 looks like something we should manage carefully without losing sight of moderation.

Is Covid-19 Really That Dangerous?

From our perspective, Covid-19 is indeed a pubic health concern. However, the risk is not spread unevenly enough to justify a one size fits all response. Vaccination should be used thoughtfully in settings with elevated contact with vulnerable people.

Promoting vaccination as a one size fits all solution does not seem sensible given the current vaccines do not provide long-lasting immunity nor do they stop the virus from spreading. The emergence of new variants will call the wisdom of this approach into question.

We believe a combination of contact tracing and thoughtful testing procedures should be included in the solution. The current approach of only testing those with symptoms will keep us in the dark regarding the spread of the virus and vaccine efficacy.

Public officials need to give clear and consistent guidance on masking and social distancing to protect those at risk. We also believe advisory on how to promote a healthy immune system would complement efforts to halt Covid-19.