Originally Posted by
Simeon Stylites
Saddened wrote: For what? To save at worst 400,000 lives, 95%+ of whom will be 80+.
There’s a lot to comment on in your latest posts. I agree with your central contention that saving lives and saving the economy are linked. But just commenting on your figures, I think you are not using reliable figures. Firstly the average age of death from C19 in the first wave was 82. In the second wave that is likely to be lower, but it is obviously a moving figure at the moment. And 400,000, where does that come from? What actions do we take to get to that figure? Finally, C19 kills people directly and indirectly, as you say. But to date, C19 direct deaths make up two thirds of the excess deaths for this year. We don’t know how that proportion might change as the virus gets into its stride again, but most medics predict a higher proportion of excess deaths directly from C19 than from indirect causes, such as cancelling operations or other treatment.
What we need to check the virus is effective test and trace; the fact that we do not have it, and the fact that the NHS does not have sufficient staff or appropriate facilities to treat c19 and nonC19 patients during the pandemic are political choices made by this government and its predecessors since 2008.