You are right, that's why it's better to look at the positivity rates from "First time positive" tests which are shown on Home | Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Outbreak

You are also right that deaths are way down, which is good news probably meaning either the virus is becoming less virulent, medical care is getting better, or infected people are getting a lower dose of the inoculate perhaps because they are following guidelines.

As for hospitalizations, though, I believe they are up, not down.

If you read on in the “article” about the “Massive Spike” mentioned, you will find these sentences: “It’s unclear if all these cases were identified from Sunday to Monday, as the overall number of cases across the tri-county area aren’t showing as large of an increase. Given the history of data reported by the Florida Department of Health, it’s likely that these cases hadn’t yet been reported and actually reflect the actual numbers in the various tri-county communities, many of which also experienced significant jumps in the number of cases.” That is to say, for all we know, this may be several days of numbers combined, and they may not even be in The Villages. Of course, that didn’t stop them from reporting it as a “Massive Spike.”

I’ve found the reports in this online “paper” difficult to follow. It isn’t always easy to figure out when the reporter is talking about just The Villages, or when about “the Tri-County Area,” which is about, what, 750,000 people? It would be so helpful if this information were always given in charts and graphs, in the same format every day.

While I do look at this online whatever it is every morning, I find it infuriating. It is primarily what we call “click-bait.” It exists to get us to deliberately or accidentally click on other things, and if we do, that makes the owner money. That’s why it is free. The writing is horrible, and I may wait thirty seconds for the rest of an article to load, then it turns out to be one more sentence. Or maybe there is no more. Why does it take so long when I have super-fast internet speed? Because all the ads have to load before the rest of the article loads. That’s where the money comes from!

Most of it seems to be police reports. What I like about that is that I learn that most crime in the area is NOT in The Villages, but is committed by drug addicts, members of minority groups, and young people. Arrests in The Villages seems to be mainly the grown children of residents. So this online thing makes me feel safe. I AM safe! I’m so glad of that.

I wish someone could start some online thing that has similar news, but with much better writing and no ads.

By the way, a couple times I have written in to ask a question about how to do something. I’ve always received in seconds an e-mailed promise of an answer within two days, but I’ve never received an answer. Not once. So what about those “Letters to the editor” that get published? I suspect that a lot more letters are received, but the editor mostly publishes little crank letters on both sides that will get people riled up or make them roll their eyes.

How about this headline from yesterday? “9.5 percent of tri-county children tested suffering from COVID-19 virus”. If you aren’t careful, you might think that means that 9.5% of the children in the tri-county area HAVE the virus. Actually, it means 9.5% OF THOSE TESTED. But what if there are 200,000 children in that area, but only 100 were tested? Generally they won’t be tested at all unless they show symptoms or someone in their family or one of their close friends has come down with it. I would expect much higher numbers in this group than among the general population. It would be quite different if, say, all the children in an entire school were tested, and 9.5% were found to have the virus. But that’s not what is going on. Also, that word “suffering”. Given that such a large percentage of young people seem to have asymptomatic cases, are they “suffering”? If I catch this disease, THAT is the sort of suffering I want: a kind I don’t notice.

It’s all crap
 

I don’t even read any of it anymore. It’s all political BS.

I think it is the person who authored the article who is confused.

you're scared? good! that's the whole point of this massive social experiment. it was a goal to frighten you :popcorn:

Covid-19
 

None of the COVID-19 numbers make sense. I think they count every positive test as a new case even if the same person tests positive 3, 4, or 5 times. Therefore can we trust any of these statistics.

You really need to read carefully, some include all of the three counties some only within the Villages. There is no continuity of facts here at all that is why no one trusts the stats. My two cents.

I can understand and empathize with those on here that are confused after reading, watching or listening to the news. If you are allowing a bunch of differing opinions influence your life when they can't even agree with each other, then you should be confused and alarmed. If you allow politicians to decide your lifestyle when they do not adhere to their own demands of you, then you should be confused and alarmed. Use your own common sense and gut feeling to dictate how you react to simple real facts. Yes, there is a virus and yes it can be deadly. So can the Flu and some childhood diseases. So can many other things that occur in life. Mass hysteria is prominent in the world today. Do not allow it to make you disregard your OWN reasoning. How can life be worthy if you have to imprison yourself in your homes, away from the rest of the world? Are you going to demand others conform to your fears, simply because you feel jealous that they are enjoying their lives without you? It is the ones making demands of others that are being selfish, not the other way around. We don't care if you lock yourselves up tight, in your homes. Sorry, but that ain't selfish, that's just minding our own business and letting you punish yourself if you wish. Don't act like you can dictate how we should protect others or even ourselves. The gov is bad enough without you all making impossible and tyrannical dictates. Simply put, mind your own business. If you wish to allow mass hysteria to rule you, keep it to yourself.


I was following the stats for several months, but now I hardly bother with them. It is obvious that the numbers are skewed with numbers that appear to be padded either intentionally or unintentional. Even as I attempt to follow the deaths, I find that almost ALL of the victims had other unrelated symptoms that could have been the actual cause of death. Does that mean I disregard the virus as a hoax? Of course not. I just refuse to panic and allow it to rule my life. And yes, I have had two family members that have passed that were tested positive. And it is my belief that both would have died anyway, from other debilitating illnesses. So, I am not ignoring the virus, just being pragmatic. It may or may not be the leading cause of death in these cases, but it sure is the leading cause of NEWS and blogs/forums.

Well, time to get some last minute shopping done for tomorrow's feast. Hope all of you can give thanks to GOD for your many years of good fortune. If not to GOD then at least to all your friends and family that also make one's life rich.

Yep!

If you're trying to make sense out of the discrepancy, start by understanding that the news source to which you refer is anti-Villages.

Exactly ! And "they" wonder WHY the citizens of our wonderful country and our wonderful community are loosing confidence in everything; our "leaders", our "expert" doctors and researchers, our elected officials, and even the ability to get a truthful report in something as simple as a newspaper ! The Villages paper has always "shaped" the news, but now you can't even find an ethical "news" paper.... that is the frightening part of all of this... no unbiased press is a very frightening step into ........

Not true!!!! Hospitals are hurting worse then before! Maybe it has not hit here yet, or people are going to Ocala hospital ( I would not go to the village hospital unless I was unconscious). But make no mistake, it is here and going to explode in next few weeks.

Did you base that opinion on your psychic ability or did space aliens transmit it to you?

Because most infections occur within 7 days and less than 2% of infections occur after 10 days.

The perfect is the enemy of the good enough.

Just more propaganda lies to upset the masses!!!

They only reported that it was COVID he died from because the hospital gets a bunch more money from Medicare!!