Why so many covid 19 cases and deaths in LA County (Los Angeles: retired, teacher)

[goodheathen]

Originally Posted by skyway31

Not when the very practice of labeling cause of death has been used to justify unprecedented, draconian restrictions on the entirety of society.

I understand that a strong majority of covid deaths for most of the pandemic were largely caused by Covid (albeit in obese, elderly or otherwise unhealthy people). But, the tables turned with Omicron. I don't think the above can be claimed any longer, which is one reason why the fear-mongerers are finally being tuned out.

Omicron seems just as damaging if it gets deep into the body, it simply isn't as good as getting that far.

Furthermore, hospitals did release data about with the virus vs. admitted for the virus during the most recent surge. There is no conspiracy. In the hospital for a serious condition usually equals vulnerable (sometimes temporarily) and if COVID is present, maybe the latter is the killer. It probably will be if the other condition doesn't improve and doesn't kill first. Any competent medical professional already knows that, and when a patient dies in the hospital, it's very likely that the hospital knows the precise cause of death.

This is about as productive as arguing about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Deaths don't even matter that much re Omicron, because it makes many, many people sick enough to stay home and disrupt society that way and burns out teachers and healthcare employees to where ongoing waves will result in many unfilled positions and subsequent operational problems. Vaccine mandates are already established as legal and masks can be required for workers by employers or per OSHA and neither requires a high death rate for justification.

But if the game is to argue not enough people are dying of COVID in Los Angeles to justify anything, I think it was a few hundred daily briefly this winter, which is plenty, even if some died before the virus could finish them or were nearly dead anyway, and it's looking very likely that another wave is coming this spring.

Please stop.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Actually, “ lies, distortions, omissions and peddling of junk science ” pretty much describes the billions of social media posts made by anonymous ignoramuses for the past two years who know exactly zip about science, medicine, and epidemiology.

You mean Joe Rogan doesn't count as an informed epidemiologist?

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

You mean Joe Rogan doesn't count as an informed epidemiologist?

Heh.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by goodheathen

if the game is to argue not enough people are dying of COVID in Los Angeles to justify anything, I think it was a few hundred daily briefly this winter, which is plenty

Especially since the number of COVID-19 deaths is likely undercounted.

US COVID Deaths May Be Undercounted by 36 Percent:
https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles...by-36-percent/

New investigation finds massive undercount of COVID-19 death toll in U.S.:
https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2022...ath-undercount

True number of Covid deaths in the US probably undercounted, experts say:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ounted-experts

[goodheathen]

I doubt deaths are undercounted significantly in LA, except maybe in some poor areas where residents are careless about their health, like East LA.

As a side note, more people die at home or are dead by the time they reach the hospital than I thought. Most people don't spend their last half-day or so in the hospital.

[goodheathen]

Local news reported an increase of 500 cases over yesterday. Looks like there won't even be a real break before LA has obvious problems. This is St. Patrick's Day, and people will celebrate and make it the biggest virus-spreading day in months. It might as well be Groundhog Day.

"Fingers crossed" seems to be the local approach
https://laist.com/news/health/gradua...ls-coronavirus
What a bad decade so far.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by goodheathen

Local news reported an increase of 500 cases over yesterday.

Although COVID deaths reported for 3/17/22 were down to 36.

[goodheathen]

Deaths always lag. They'll probably head toward 100 daily later this spring unless people wake up. (LA, the city of disconnection.) You okay with this? There should be outrage.

[Ceece]

Originally Posted by goodheathen

Deaths always lag. They'll probably head toward 100 daily later this spring unless people wake up. (LA, the city of disconnection.) You okay with this? There should be outrage.

Outrage doesn't do anything, what you're solution?

[goodheathen]

Various restrictions that too many people refuse to abide by, plus medical advancements. LA if it wants could make a strong push in building ventilation improvements, including apartment buildings, perhaps by adding that to building inspectors' checklists. Some responsibility for workplace safety is at the state level, CAL-OSHA, and the state also needs to work with the federal government on air travel and illegal immigration, which affect LA more than anywhere else in the state.