drkohler said:
These graphs are meaningless. At best, it shows how thorough testing is done. Smaller states like Luxemburg, Andorra, Vatican, Switzerland, etc, will always be high on these graphs, as it simply takes less tests to get a good idea. A good example is Ecuador where people are dying left, front, right and back. That country wuld probably in the top three in those graphs. African states are anyone's guess. And the muslim countries as a whole where religion plays a key role as well (Iran being the exception but they are screwed anyways so no reason to hide numbers). The USA is obviously looking good because too many elderly people simply can't afford a walk to the hospital or even a test so they die at home (officially counted of old age). We would have to compare daily/weekly average death rates in the past decades with current death rates to get an idea. Then agan, (greatrly reduced) pollution plays a role in those statistics, too. |
There are plenty positive effects of the current situation. As you mentioned less pollution, thus less complications for people with asthma. Far less traffic accidents. Other viruses are also stopped in their tracks. Less work accidents since most places are shut down. Less sports injuries, less people coming back from holiday with different kinds of infections or accidents.
Atm the emergency services are faster than ever here. Yesterday 2 people in a canoe on the river capsized. 2 fire trucks, 2 ambulances and 5 police cars showed up lol. The river is only knee deep on average and not even all that cold anymore. Emergency services are on high alert waiting for the wave to reach here, twiddling their thumbs until then. No accidents to go to, fire bans are in effect.
The death toll will be hard to determine. When there is not really any cure, plenty people will decide its better to stay at home. Less risk of more infection, more comfortable, no huge bills for you or for your family when you don't make it. And some will deteriorate so quickly they never have a chance to decide to go or not. And some will wait until the last moment, which might be too late. Then who is going to pay for or spend time testing the dead when the situation is still ongoing and tests are better used elsewhere. That's probably why France is now adding to the numbers. The growth peak has passed, now testing can be directed to figure out what people died from.
And yep, plenty counties won't be able to afford testing on a large scale at all. It would be guess work what people die from.
Essay Pro