I have done a couple of fairly recent posts on perspective. I have been amazed at the fear shown over Covid-19 from young people. I am not making light of any deaths. However, statistically Covid-19 has not been a significant cause of death for those under 65 at all. If you look under 55, it is even less. There are many other things that are as if not more likely to kill you.
Some US Covid-19 numbers
The most deaths in number and as a percentage of that population is in those over 75. That demographic represents just under 7% of the total population (6.88% of the numbers I was using). However, they account for just under 60% (59.6%) of all the Covid-19 deaths. Read those numbers again - 6 out of every 10 Covid-19 deaths in the US are in people 75 and older!
If you include the next demographic - 65 years and older (so it would include the previous group as well as those from 65 to 74 years old) you are now at almost 81% (80.9%) of all deaths from Covid-19. This group represents just under 16.5% of the population. So again, think about that - just over 8 of every 10 deaths is someone that is 65 or older. Another way to say that in words without numbers is: well under 2 of every 10 people represent over 8 of every 10 deaths!
Looking at it from the other angle - I mentioned those under 55 as having a very low risk. The group of the population that is 54 and younger represents a great majority of the population - almost 71% (70.6% to be precise). The percentage of deaths? Under 7.5% (7.32%) So, well under 1 out of every 10 Covid-19 deaths are in people under 55 years of age.
The number of deaths go down dramatically as the age demographic drops. Less than 3% (2.6%) under 45, less than 1% (0.85%) under 35, and under 25 is less than a quarter of a percent (0.19%)
The chart I made from the CDC numbers is here:
Again, I am not making light of any death. Covid-19 is taking and has taken too many people too soon. I am just pointing out that if you are young, the danger is much reduced. When government and health officials are making plans and procedures to mitigate the deaths from the disease they need to take this into account. Killing the economy by making everyone stay behind locked doors and shuttering businesses is destroying more young people and livelihoods than the disease!
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