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Comment by m_ke | Hacker News Reader

4 dead and 3 more in critical condition from a single family: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coronavirus-shatters-ne...

26 dead at the washington nursing home, 50 tested positive: https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-deaths-washingto...

Death rates by preexisting condition: https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2020-03/13/2...

America has 42% obesity rate and a huge population with diabetes and heart issues, the numbers for 30-60 year olds might end up looking a lot worse than in Asia and Europe.

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Question for OP: does this data change your mind? If not, what would?

Zombies.

I think a zombie outbreak would be much easier to handle, at least in the US.

It would probably be much easier to see who is infected, and thus "eliminate" the problem. In the US, there are plenty of bullets and guns everywhere.

That it impacted the kids and 20-30 yo cohort the way it impacts the 70+ yo.

Also those co-morbidities like high blood pressure have the all important age distinction missing. So yeah if you’re 70 and have high blood pressure it’s worse.

It’s perverse to stop world for some low rate CFR for the elderly. The world is made for the young. We shouldn’t destroy it for the elderly.

Also actuarial tables for a 75 year old is extremely haunting. People magically forget that a sick 75 year old doesn’t have much time left to live in the first place.

This is a bit disturbing. We should what, just let the old people die (or at least ~10% of them)?

Where did you get 10% from?

We should treat them as best as possible but not by stopping the world.

Look up the actuarial tables for a 70 year old. Living another year is significantly different than for a 45 year old.

Then lookup the survival rates for a 70 year old with influenza, suddenly the numbers keeping you up at night start looking weak in comparison.

Numbers vary a bit but looks like death rate of confirmed cases of covid 19 for 70-79 year olds is 8% and over 80 is something like 14%.

Flu varies by season but it’s no where near that for the same age group.

When the hospitals are full of covid victims, all demographics will suffer, as you will not be able to receive care for your non-covid related ailment.

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