“The US reported an average 1500 COVID-19 deaths a week for 2023 – comparable to fentanyl or firearm deaths.”
This wasn’t from health officials but insurance actuaries.🤯
Covid-19 may lead to longest period of peacetime excess mortality, says new report .swissre.com/press-release/…
“Our analysis suggests elevated excess mortality extending over the next decade. The first step is to get COVID under control, with measures such as vaccinations for the vulnerable.“
Implications for insurers:
Excess mortality in the general population is an important indicator for insurers, as shifts in the major causes of death may require a reassessment of additional risk in their mortality portfolios.
The current levels of excess mortality are of concern. Specific actions include adapting the underwriting philosophy, risk appetite, and mortality assumptions in pricing and reserving. Insurers can be proactive in targeting prevention programmes for policyholders, helping them in the joint effort to support longer, healthier lives.
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This summer, Americans have seen the biggest summer #COVID19 wave recorded in at least the last two years. This recent rise in COVID cases is a reminder about the importance of staying up to date with COVID vaccinations. Let’s get into it! #WhyIVax
👇🏽🧵
I recently spoke with several local news stations about all of this – COVID-19 continues to pose a greater burden than flu in the US, with significantly lower vaccination rates, despite its more severe outcomes. msn.com/en-us/video/he…
While the majority of Americans received the original COVID-19 vaccination series, data shows vaccine protection against COVID-19 wanes over time. COVID-19 remains responsible for a significant burden of illness throughout the year, even in the summer months.
It will be fascinating to see if
A) Anyone actually ultimate looks at covid infections at the #Olympics (many teams tested)
B) Anyone correlates that to performances (lots of anecdotal reports of “didn’t feel great” or mystery virus)
C) Anyone looks at Paxlovid use by athletes
Would also be interesting to learn how many knowingly competed (and exposed others) and if they took any specific actions to protect themselves or others when they knew they were positive. This could’ve been (and still can be) a great learning opportunity on “living with Covid.”
I’m hearing most large delegations did in fact have testing, tested their own athletes with symptoms, and treated positives -because they KNOW Covid impacts performance. But there was no disclosure of results or attempt to alert/ protect other delegations/ people. @iocmedia
Spoke at @AspenInstitute #aspenideas yesterday. Was asked about Tony Fauci, lab leaks, and GOF research. My response:
Tony Fauci is a friend, mentor, and 50+ year public servant, who retired as an Admiral. I’ve personally not known him to be anything but honest + patriotic. 1/
On lab leaks, we’re asking the wrong questions IMO. We’ll likely never know true Covid origins as China has withheld /destroyed information. So practically this is not a question we can answer.
We SHOULD be focusing on China and WHO accountability vs lab leaks and Fauci. 2/
Regarding funding GOF research:
A) There’s legitimate debate over “GOF” definition. Again, I’ve never known Fauci to be dishonest. He doesn’t believe NIH funded research was GOF, and almost no scientist believes said research contributed to COVID.
American Indian, Alaska Native, & Black youth face SIGNIFICANTLY higher mortality rates vs their White counterparts- and the gap is widening!
This demands urgent attention, and highlights the danger of abandoning all DEI programs and data collection. 🧵 jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/…
Injury, especially from firearms, is primary cause of pediatric death. Shockingly, Black youth saw a 39.2% surge in firearm deaths between 2019 and 2020, with a further 23.0% ⬆️ in 2021. Reasons range from increased gun access to pandemic social upheaval to policing. 😞
Alarming ⬆️ in suicide rates underscores severity of our mental health crisis. Cyberbullying + easier access to firearms & opioids contribute. Rapid ⬆️ in Black + Hispanic youth, linked to poverty, early puberty, adverse childhood experiences, insufficient mental health services.
In 2020, we had an incumbent President running for reelection who was loathe to overreact and spoke the public- especially if it meant harm to the economy. Because the truth is, these things really do typically “just disappear” on their own…
In 2020 we had a media that was focused not on increasing reports about a newly spreading virus, but was obsessed about a Trump trial (in 2020 it was impeachment). And we had a dysfunctional Congress that clearly had its attention elsewhere. 🤔
Once you get past all the “it’s just a cold” bluster, it’s amazing to consider how many people who will tell you they still have a cough/ wheeze/ are taking an inhaler/ fatigue/ are “not back to normal” long after they’ve had Covid.
I know I’m not the only one who hears this.🤷🏽♂️
I get it- people don’t want to give us socialization / have their lives and plans impacted. That’s human nature. I also think most people KNOW covid can be really harmful, and the downplaying of it is really is psychological compensation to justify the risk to themselves.
It’s like riding a motorcycle without a helmet (or really at all) - people know it can be dangerous, but convince themselves THEY are a good driver and the risk to THEM is somehow far less than average- and will tell you as much. (Until they get into a wreck that is)