IDguy Loc: Idaho

Gee, let me guess...

I initiatiated today my commitment to never watch ” Meet The Press” again. It used to be news. Now they let that guy Todd rants invictives on Trump for 30 minutes.

I am much happier today.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

The problem is in timing. These are only death certificates processed by CDC as of that date, not deaths that have occurred by that date.

This may have been the total some time in the past, but I have also been watching the death total, and it has been increasing a couple thousand a day recently.

PGHphoto Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

The question you really need to ask is why does it take "extra time to code a COVID-19 death" ? I work directly with healthcare reporting and billing services and am connected with state 'health exchanges'. The guidelines used to identify a co-morbid diagnosis have changed - specific to COVID-19. Reimbursement structures are also changing. ICD10 coders are being told 'when in doubt, include COVID-19 and sort things out later'.

The bottom line is NOT that one number is more trustworthy than another - its that the numbers will reflect the perspective you examine the data from. And the media will always promote the one that gets more people to watch more coverage. I don't dispute the idea that a traffic fatality victim may have been corona-virus positive but I certainly would not use that unfortunate persons death to spread fear and panic just to sell more ads. With the local hospitals at 40-50% occupancy in western PA, I would say that somehow the media is flawed in their reporting.

I am also very aware of hydroxychloroquine's effectiveness - in conjunction with other drugs - to combat the disease. I do not know any individuals personally that have been treated but do look at the reports by physicians coming from all over the country. Yet the FDA has authorized the use of a comparatively much more expensive drug (up to $1000 per dose) that is less than 50% effective over a drug that has been used successfully numerous times and has been proven safe for other problems as well for YEARS. Even if people are going to follow their party line - ask what is the most effective treatment. Or another way to put it - which would you rather be treated with - a drug with a proven efficacy rate over 80% or one with a 50% *estimated* efficacy ...

Oh well - done commenting here - I will leave those who want to be scared to hide in their dark corners. Seems there are very few actual thinkers and a whole of of blind followers on BOTH sides - unwilling to even question the media. Before you accuse me of being a President Trump blind follower - I take what everybody says and throw out the conclusions to look only at facts. So far many of those commenting in this forum are only in it to see more doom and gloom that the media wants them to subscribe to. So sad that people don't care about the facts anymore and can't make their own decisions.

Won't try to pass any more facts along - I am done with all COVID-19 talk. I am sure many are relieved that I will not challenge their deranged thinking.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Not even President Trump has said anything in the past week advocating for the use of hydroxychloroquine to combat Covid-19.

hj Loc: Florida

David Martin Loc: Cary, NC

Unfortunately, the data presented by the referenced article is missing data reported by the state health departments, by Johns Hopkins, by worldometer, etc. and does not present an accurate, up to date fatality total.


As stated by others, this is an opinion-piece, just an analysis of what the author has chosen to review, and not a presentation of scientific data. It is not a randomized, controlled study, nor even a meta-analysis of previous scientific studies. It has not been peer reviewed. It carries no more weight than any other opinion piece, and should not be accepted as "fact."

hj Loc: Florida

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Different states are using different methods to count Covid-19 deaths, so it will be impossible to get an accurate count. The Governor of Mississippi discounted a one-day increase in cases because they tested more people. I guess the best way to keep the infection numbers down is to test fewer people.

President Trump estimates the final death toll at 100,000.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

This is a political opinion piece.

The experts don’t treat the virus as “hoax”. Many Republican Governors are not acting as though the virus is “hoax”. World leaders are not acting as though the virus is “hoax”. You will believe whatever you want; I just pray that your actions don’t harm your neighbors.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Actually Trump doesn’t estimate deaths. He reports the nominal outputs of the models. That number changes every day as new data is input.

Here is the data he reports via. Dr. Birx. Note the uncertainty bands: good science.

https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america

This shows how dimwitted fake media ” reporters” (aka Democratic shills) are.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Just amazing how we use the words 'exact science' together and accept it.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Right. All good scientists understand variation (aka uncertainty) and measure and report it. No scientific assertion is published without an estimate of the variation in results.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

But he probably should.

From a link in the paper:

PS: Not a full paper. Final must include estimate of uncertainty. Due to the large number of patients uncertainty will be plus or minus a few percent. An estimate is the square root of 2333 divided by 2333 or 2%.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

The experts who have tried it say that more patients die than live.
You can try it - if you can find a quack to give it to you.

IDguy Loc: Idaho

Actually I have a supply prescribed by a PA before the State shut down selling to you unless you have a positive test result. I will only use it with her oversight.

Sorry, but it is your ”experts” that are the quacks. Dr’s Faci and Birx agreed with getting the supplies to those reporting the results above. All of the reported results are by Physicians.

I feel sad for those of you who accept the fake news reporting. It might kill you. I can only hope you do not contract the disease.