[tuccillo]

Check out the number of excess deaths on the CDC website. Since the number of deaths, regardless of the reason, is normally pretty consistent from year to year, an increase in the number of deaths (excess deaths) in 2020 is attributable, either directly or indirectly, to the coronavirus. The number of excess deaths since the pandemic started is about 500,000. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a drop in total deaths ( from what would be the normal number) over the next couple of years. The virus has killed a bunch of older people before their time.

Originally Posted by Joe C.

The CDC has a report that accounts for all the announced Covid deaths for the past year, and actually admits that only 6% of these deaths were directly from Covid-19, and they go on to list the other 94% saying that these fatalities were people who had serious underlying conditions (cancer, pneumonia, etc.), but had tested positive for the Covid-19.
I watched an Illinois governor's televised press conference, where when he was pressed into answering a Covid question, where he stumbled for an answer, and turned it over to their head medical representative who said that IF YOU TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, and died in a car accident, it was counted as a Covid death. If you were in hospice care and expected to live for only a week or two, and had tested positive, your death was counted as a Covid death. If you had tested positive and died from any other situation, it was counted as a Covid death, and that the state of Illinois will continue this practice.
So how can we believe the media, or for that matter the CDC? Yesterday they announced that if you have had the vaccine, that you don't really need to wear a mask. Last week they said that you do.
So I'm cynical. While I do believe that Covid does spread quickly, and more people catch it than they do the flu, the mortality rate is exaggerated to the 'nth degree. I also believe that has been politicized to the detriment of this country. I also believe "follow the $$$".