Live data from Hacker News

Excess mortality from March to December of 2020

ourworldindata.org

1–10 of 121 posts

Re: Excess mortality from March to December of 2020

#6
post #2

Excess mortality seems like the best way to track the pandemic because determining whether someone died of covid can be debatable sometimes, but there can be no debate over whether someone died.

I know at least one person who’s having problems exacerbated by lack of mobility. Atrophy in old people can be a big problem.

I would not go so far as to support anyone claiming this is why we should be breaking quarantine, but can’t quite support racking them all up as COVID deaths either. Reality is somewhere between the two (but close to “most” than “few”)

Re: Excess mortality from March to December of 2020

#7
post #6
post #2

Excess mortality seems like the best way to track the pandemic because determining whether someone died of covid can be debatable sometimes, but there can be no debate over whether someone died.

I know at least one person who’s having problems exacerbated by lack of mobility. Atrophy in old people can be a big problem. I would not go so far as to support anyone claiming this is why we should be breaking quarantine, but can’t quite support racking them all up as COVID deaths either. Reality is somewhere between the two (but close to “most” than “few”)

On the other hand there are other deaths that were reduced, like automobile accidents and just accidents and general.

Re: Excess mortality from March to December of 2020

#9

In the New Zealand winter less people died than usual by more than 10% in some months - I suppose less flu cases

Yup. This also was also reported to have provided a weaker than usual signal for the seasonal Flu vaccine in the North.

Each hemisphere uses data collected during the winter in the other hemisphere to guess what Influenza variants will be most common in their countries when it's their turn, then it takes several months to turn those guesses into bulk vaccine for immunising the elderly and vulnerable and give them a jab. Sometimes the guess is right on the money and it's extremely effective, other years not so much.

Less signal may make this year's winter 2020/21 vaccine less effective.

Post reply on HN