COVID is the 4th leading cause of death in the US this year. Estimated US life expectancy still down about two years from where it was in 2019. Nobody has any idea how much damage repeated COVID infections will take on your body over time or the collective magnitude on mortality. But it certainly won’t be good.
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I’m not sure this is a certainty for everyone with respect to overall survival. I think it is very likely that for a significant percentage of the population multiple COVID infections will be no different than multiple colds. For others it will be worse. As a result we will see an overall reduction in mortality, but it is not uniformly distributed.
According to “scientists”, who are all bought and paid for by big virus.
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Has anyone published a good analysis about the extent to which COVID is saving Social Security? Seems like it ought to be a significant effect.
One of the eye opening things I didn’t realize until the last four years is that we really have no idea how much repeated viral infections impacts mortality for people who don’t die directly from them. Just that it is not nothing!
- That’s already baked into the pre-COVID mortality rate.
- As you say we really have “no idea”. It is also possible that too few infections may be bad for overall mortality for a variety of reasons (e.g. maybe immune system becomes less developed). No one knows what the optimal number of infections may be for a given person. We also don’t know that it is “not nothing” for everyone. It may, in fact, be “nothing” for some segment of the population.
There’s probably more rigorous academic studies out available, but I found this on the Soc Security website.
Current State of Social Security and Implications of COVID https://www.ssa.gov/oact/presentations/ocact_20220518.pdf
From my quick read, it does seem like there was some financial benefit from beneficiaries dying earlier than expected. However, there were also negative fiscal impacts, because the shutdowns caused higher unemployment (so, fewer people paying in), Covid made some younger people sick enough to qualify for Social Security Disability payments (so, more costs and less revenue coming in if these young folks would have otherwise stayed healthy and working). Also, Covid slowed down cross border migration from undocumented folks (many of whom end up paying into Social Security but not collecting)
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That’s just the kind of thing I was looking for. Thanks!
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My feeling would certainly be that over time, COVID morphs into a thing (or already has, somewhat) that’s just added to the list of diseases you don’t fuck with when you’re old (alongside flu, RSV, etc.) but isn’t considered a big deal for an average healthy <70yo with a normal immune system who’s been vaxxed.
Do we have numbers on the average age of those dying from COVID since the start of the pandemic? I’d hope the average has risen significantly.
I think Trolly’s point is that maybe getting the flu every couple of years in one’s 30s and 40s, might reduce someone’s overall life expectancy by a year or two. It may. It also may not. We don’t know for sure. I’m personally not sweating it, though. At least not for that reason. Getting fewer flus is it’s own reward as far as I’m concerned. Being sick sucks.
Dual COVID/flu tests are SOCIALISM!
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Used a test in Greece on the little one that combined COVID, RSV, Flu A and Flu B all in one. Negative for all, despite his hacking cough that is still hanging around.
I posted upthread about how following my 2nd bout with covid I developed accute sinusitis that I’ve now done 2 rounds of antibiotics for and will need surgery if symptoms return/worsen. Symptoms have included dizziness, headaches, lethargy, head pressure, ear aches, and feeling light-headed. The frequency and severity of those symptoms has been all over the place. Right now I’ve had some residual headaches but no dizziness or severe head pressure for a while. I’m doing a routine of nasal flush, flonase, and keeping well hydrated which according to my ENT should all help promote sinus health.
My ENT seems pretty convinced that covid brought this all on, which makes sense to me since I’d never had a sinus infection in my life. When symptoms began my first thought was I had some kind of long-covid or covid related issue.
Well the plot thickens. I had my annual blood work done at the end of August, about a month before I got covid, and everything came back fine. It always does. I’ve been pretty lucky in that regard. Always healthy as a horse minus a occasional flu or cold. So last week I went back to my Dr and asked for some blood work as I’ve hit my deductible and just wanted to turn over as many stones as possible. Turns out my TSH was low and I may have developed hypothyroidism as well. Had to go back to the dr for some more blood tests.
Googled thyroid issues related to covid and apparently that is a thing. Really sucks. I get that it’s pretty hard to prove any of this was covid related but knowing my health history and my family’s health history, and how quickly this all happened, I’m pretty damn sure Covid is the culprit here. I’m just awaiting the blood test results and will probably be seeing an endocrinologist very soon. Only posting this whole damn thing so other’s can be aware and have some insight if they develop anything similar.
Also worth mentioning that was my 2nd time having covid (that I know of) and I’ve had all my shots every year since vaccines became available.
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That sucks. Sorry to hear it. However, as you say, it’s impossible to know whether it is related or not. Hypothyroidism is common. Both my parents have it. Just take a pill a day, and nothing else to do. Obviously, one would rather not have it at all.
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That’s good to hear I think. So they’ve found it pretty manageable? Any quality of life issues?
No issues. Just take your thyroid hormone pill daily, get some blood work periodically to make sure they got the dose right. Once it’s dialed in, I think they get it checked annually.
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Appreciate it man
I think the real question is how’s their sex life on the thyroid pills?
(“Quality of life”)
The Fauci Ouchi strikes again!
Sorry to hear that man, any idea what the treatment is like for it?