Question Which COVID-19 deaths are most important? why?

Apr 20, 2020
4
1
10
Visit site
In the USA: to TRY to save ONE life, 17 to 1000+ of us are being asked to sacrifice. Some of those sacrifices will lead to physical death; some to the loss of physical or mental well-being; some to the death of common, everyday dreams for both the sacrificer and their future children.

Who is more important and why?

See https://coronavirus2020questions.wordpress.com/how-many-deaths-is-too-many/#Future for a start to a list of what the masses have up for sacrifice; the list includes many things that are considered socially stabilizing or contributing to quality of life.

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars” – Oscar Wilde. For me, doing things to mitigate COVID-19 deaths should not mean shoving the majority face-down in the gutter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EastofMaeWest

LCarlson

Administrator
Nov 12, 2019
69
46
80
Visit site
All lives are important. There are certainly some who feel that sacrificing a percentage of the population is beneficial to the rest, but the virus does not make any sort of value choice, it takes anyone that comes within its reach.
I don't know of anyone who would voluntarily put their loved ones or close friends at risk of the suffering and death this pandemic promises.

This is an important topic, and I'd like to see more discussion, provided we all stay within the Forum Rules: https://forums.livescience.com/threads/read-before-posting-forum-rules.3/ (in other words, no political, partisan comments, no bashing others, etc.)
 
Apr 20, 2020
4
1
10
Visit site

"… the virus does not make any sort of value choice..." but we can and should and this responsibility to thrash out the societal valuation comes up in driverless cars and euthanasia as two quick examples.




Regarding coronavirus and populations: there are going to be those that lose their life, and there will be those that will lose out on quality of life/dreams/opportunities (list written for US, but a lot may be applicable elsewhere) which can also impact death tolls through (not an exhaustive list by any means):



Covid’s other fatalities Reuters touches on several issues including some from above.



Covid-19 Is Likely to Lead to an Increase in Suicide Scientific America touches on possible psychological repercussions.


About half the people I know are hunkered in; the other half not. Personally, I've been glad to go to get-togethers and when it came to kissing on the cheek at one of them, I said: bring it on.


If anyone cares to share further thoughts on how they do or wish they could balance these conflicting death and quality of life issues, I'd like to hear your thoughts.


 
May 2, 2020
1
1
15
Visit site
There is a very simple counter showing the deaths live: http://thecoronacounter.com
I have been watching that for a week now and very sad to see how the counter speeds up every day. No idea, how it will end guys, but doesn't look good. For me, every death is a death, there are no important or not important ones.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LCarlson
May 3, 2020
5
0
30
Visit site
I'm kind of weirded out by the counter in the message above; I couldn't find any data on where their numbers are coming from and it doesn't seem like an obvious part of Chillio's business…

Sweden did not do a lockdown. If you go by Sweden’s case fatality rate (CFR) number from Our World In Data – 5/23/20 for a catastrophic scenario in the US:
  • 330M US populace (data online ranges from 328-331M)
  • 11.96% (Sweden CFR - see note above for source)
  • 330M x 11.96% = ~39M deaths
  • 330M / 39M = ~8 people live for every death
Honestly, I picture these people in front of a truck and the driver deliberately driving into them with the intent to save another person's life… does that make any sense to do? It does not to me.

I appreciate the knee-jerk response to protect each other. But I cannot understand the idea of deliberately - with determination and opportunity to reflect – undermining and injuring the lives of 8 people to try to save 1 live… and that’s in a catastrophic scenario that is unlikely to occur. In a less catastrophic scenario, it wouldn’t be 8 people, it would be so many more.

I say open up, show respect for other people’s boundaries, and plan to protect more vulnerable areas such as nursing homes and hospitals.