Letter arguing against COVID stats misses the mark

By Lethbridge Herald on September 28, 2022.

Editor:

With Jack Derksen’s letter to the editor two weeks ago arguing against my COVID statistics, and Jill Skriver’s letter Sept. 14, there are just so many mistakes and flaws in their positions that I have to respond.

 Checking statistics this morning from Johns Hopkins University, Florida has 80,647 deaths for a population of 22 million for a rate of 3.66 deaths/1,000. Texas, with 90,577 deaths for 29.5 million, has a death rate of 3.07/1000. 

Mississippi, with a population 2.93 million, has 12,853 COVID deaths, for a rate of 4.4 per 1,000.

Canada, with a population of 37 million has 44,347 COVID deaths, for a rate of 1.2/1,000.

The argument that Sweden did better with no lockdowns is outright wrong. 20,069 deaths for a population of 10.5 million = 1.9 deaths/1,000. The reason their death rate is not as bad as many U.S. states is that after they realized their herd immunity/no lockdown policy failed, Sweden became one of the most vaccinated countries in Europe.

There is no “natural immunity.” A work colleague thought that by being in great physical shape and taking vitamins he would be immune. After getting COVID he said “it was a hellish experience. I almost died.” Failed “cures”: Ivermectin works if you are a horse with worms. Drinking bleach borders on suicide. And early in the pandemic, some people would get a positive test for COVID but not show symptoms. They would then follow whatever quack cure was offered and say they were cured. They were not going to have symptoms, with or without the “cure.”

Now to surprise you, I will guess there won’t be lockdowns like 2020 and 2021, but not because of people ranting selfishly about their “freedom.” 90 per cent of Canadians are vaccinated. 

On both sides of the border, (the USA still averages about 200 COVID deaths a day) the only people dying from COVID are the unvaccinated, and a very few people with multiple and serious non-COVID health issues. 

The CDC in Atlanta discovered that after a full year study, 80 per cent  of COVID cases came when people were indoors. Makes sense: put 20 people in a small room when two people have a bad flu and others will get the flu.

There are now medicines used in hospitals, introduced in January, that are used for serious cases that can save lives. We have learned that even something like improved ventilation in work environments will cut down infections. 

By analysing sewage data we can see if infections in a community will be increasing. Before the lockdowns, social distancing and vaccines, one person would infect seven others, and anti vaxxers were raving about hoaxes, miracle cures and their rights, while spreading COVID and literally killing other people. Now with vaccinations as high as they are, the unvaccinated are only hurting themselves.

We have all suffered from COVID in many ways, but the basics of the government responses, backed by science, was correct: lockdowns, social distancing and masking and then continuing vaccinations.

Allan Wilson

Lethbridge