COVID — If I never hear that word again I would bend down and kiss the ground and thank the universe. COVID, and primarily our reaction to it, has caused untold stresses for millions of people in this country. People have lost jobs, businesses, and livelihoods due to the shut downs and social distancing measures. Let me state for the record that I am not afraid of the virus. I am afraid of our reaction to it. I believe the collateral damages caused by the closings and job loses are far worse than the deaths from COVID.
These last few months, with COVID raging, I have been studying statistics. I have, multiple times, calculated the percentage of people who have died from COVID considering the draconian measures taken to control this pandemic, which we are told on a daily basis is out of control. Keep in mind I want percentages, not numbers, because it helps put things into perspective.
Let me share with you some things I have learned. All statistics shared are from CDC website and I will share links to where I got my information below. These stats were taken on July 19 around noon. Currently, there are, on average, 328,000,000 million people in the US. So far, COVID has killed 139,000 people. When you calculate what percentage of the US population has died from COVID, the number is 0.04%. Yes, that’s right. Less than 1/10 of 1%. Let that sink in. We have shut down the economy, harmed peoples lives and businesses, taken away civil liberties, and mandated masks based on the fact that 0.04% of the population has died. WHAT??? This statistic frightens me. It should frighten you too. If these drastic measures can be taken for a virus that kills less than 1/10 of 1%, what might happen if we encountered a virus that killed as many as 1% of the population. This is scary!
I wanted to compare this to a more common disease — heart disease — so that I could compare its percentage of deaths to COVID. Again, I got all the stats from the CDC website, which had death statistics from 2017. In 2017 there were 2,800,000 deaths, 647,000 of which were from heart disease. That equated to 23% of the deaths in 2017. When you look at the total US population in 2017, which was 325,000,000, and compare that to the 647,000 deaths, you will see that 20% of the population died of heart disease in 2017. Compare 20% to 0.04%. These stats made me really think. I mean REALLY think, and I hope it makes you think too.
On top of heart disease, cancer was the second leading cause of death in 2017, with 599,000 deaths. This equates to 18% of the deaths that year. According to a publication by the CDC, 2/3 of the cancer deaths are caused by environmental factors. These environmental factors included poor diet and lack of exercise. When you combine this with the data from heart disease, we get 32% of the deaths in the US in 2017 were caused from heart disease and cancer. I got that figure by taking 20% plus 2/3 of 18% (12%) and added the two together to get 32%. So, 32% of our population died from cancer or heart disease in 2017. That’s a full 1/3 of the people that died! Why aren’t we concerned about that? Why don’t we hear outrage about the 35% who died of heart disease and cancer? Why isn’t the media reporting those numbers on a daily basis? Why do we only hear about a virus that is killing only 0.04% of the people. These are the questions I am scratching my head over.
We are told that wearing a mask, washing our hands, and social distancing will make COVID go away. We are told these things are the best way to reduce the possibility of getting it. PREVENTION PREVENTION PREVENTION. The government seems to be all about prevention — for COVID at least. However, in my opinion, we should be a little more concerned about the 35% dying of heart disease and cancer. These diseases are primarily caused by poor eating habits and lack of exercise — meaning both are preventable. Our health seems to be a top priority for the government right now, so why isn’t the government concerned with the fact that 1/3 of the people who die each year are caused by a disease that could have been prevented most of the time? If they were truly serious about the health of the citizens of our nation, they would be doing something about the 35%. After all, in order to prevent you from getting COVID they are willing to take away our civil liberties — for a 0.04% death rate remember. Perhaps if the media were reporting on these numbers everyday, more people would wake up and think about how to prevent heart disease and cancer. It seems the government likes to do extreme measures to keep us safe these days, so I vote to shut down all the fast food restaurants as a way to encourage better health. I know it would be inconvenient (just like wearing a mask), but the inconvenience will help so many people maintain better health by not having access to the junk making their body unhealthy. You were willing to make the sacrifice for COVID if you are willingly wearing a mask. Would you do it for heart disease and cancer? We keep hearing we need to make sacrifices to keep everyone healthy. Why is this any different?
My point is this: the mass media are not giving you all the facts. If you are only listening to the nightly news, local news, NPR, or any AM/FM radio station, you are hearing only the narrative they want you to hear. You need to dig deeper into the facts. Don’t assume that they are saying is true. Challenge what they are saying and find proof in their numbers. There are alternative sources that you should listen to which will raise your consciousness and give you a totally different perspective on our current “situation”. Even if you do not agree with what it is saying, you should listen to it, and learn from it. Ultimately, you will make your own choice about what you believe about COVID-19. However, the more you hear alternative views, the more well rounded you become. Truly! I have no idea why so many people with sound judgment have blindly followed the government mandates and have not thought about this issue from all sides. Life is all about learning! I say “Learning over shaming” which seems to be the norm these days.
Here are some resources you should check out:
The Highwire
Wellness Forum Health
Pam Poppers You Tube Channel
Dr. Kelly Victory’s video on COVID
An interview with Dr. Zach Bush
J.B. Handley’s Blog
Now is the best time to open your mind to other views and think outside the box. Turn off the TV and radio and start listening to some other points of view by clicking some of the links above. Your time will be well spent.
I wish everyone the best of health as we maneuver through these murky waters.
Below are links to my data.
NIH Cancer Information
CDC Fast Stats
CDC COVID Tracker
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I don’t agree with the math here. Your giving numbers of people who died in the WHOLE year of 2017. The deaths we’re talking about have happened in a matter of days. You have to take that into account. If you multiply the number of dead a year out the number is devastating. This is the problem. Too many people are offering information that is just wrong.
Thanks for your input! Stay well!
I appreciate that you have offered alternative views. And I am open to all thoughts, all solutions. But what you share is similar to responses to the many protests occurring in our country. I have heard people ask for comparative statistics, over an established period of time, showing # of African Americans killed by police, # of police killed by African Americans, and number of African Americans killed by African Americans. The argument assumes that the third statistic will be much greater and should be the issue that is most concerning. But even if true, that fact would not diminish the horrors of uncontrolled police violence. So I think your statistics about other health issues are valid but do not negate the virus and its impact on human life.
I am lucky. I am a retired educator with established funding streams and have lacked nothing in terms of resources during this pandemic. But I am diabetic and I am a breast cancer victim. I have long been on a plant based diet as a means of controlling my diabetes. Neither my diabetes nor my cancer are results of poor diet. I walk at least six miles daily and take four hours of yoga instruction per week. I am a swimmer. So my health issues are not the result of lack of exercise. But neither my diabetes nor my cancer were preventable. And neither illness was “caught” from contact with someone else with the disease. As my surgeon stated, my number just came up.
COVID is a communicable disease and ultimately the wearing of masks, distancing, and good hygiene help to contain It. Because I have a suppressed immune system, I appreciate everyone who protects me from contagion by wearing a mask, by distancing and by practicing good hygiene. God bless those who take this virus seriously and are willing to sacrifice to keep others safe.
Thanks for your input. This is a controversial topic for sure. I wish there were easy answers. I just don’t think we are being fed the right information in our media. Please stay well!