Normally 2.8 million Americans die each year. Last year 3.4m died -- 362,000 from Covid-19. So...

[Bucky]

The issue is, that if there was a 594,000 increase in the mortality count in 2020, but only 76% of those died from the pandemic, why did an additional 142,000 people die of? Going into this pandemic. One intriguing warning conservatives who hate the lockdown warned us about was that social and economic isolation was going to lead to large numbers of suicides -- like Wall Street 1929 levels of desperation would set in. It was a strangely humanistic note from the "fuck your feelings and cut my taxes" crowd. Surprisingly, their predictions were wrong. Suicides decreased--not just per capita, but in raw numbers--dropped by 6% in 2020, 2700 fewer people took their own lives.

There was an additional 2000 people murdered in 2020. Murder has been drastically declining in America up till now. But a year locked up with family members (most homicides are domestic) took its toll. But that's still leaving 140,000 extra deaths unaccounted.

What killed that 142K?

The NCHS, which tabulates these things, reports the following '19-'20 changes to the top causes of death:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2778234

Heart disease: 659K to 691K
Cancer: 600K to 599K
Accidents: 173K to 192K
Strokes: 150K to 159K
Lower respiratory disease: 157K to 152K
Alzheimers: 121K to 133K
Diabetes: 88K to 101K
Flu & pneumonia: 50K to 53K
Kidney disease: 52K to 52K

(*this drop is linked to covid, which took many of these people faster than nature's course might've other have)

The causes in bold each saw over 10,000 additional deaths and collectively account for 85,000 additional fatalities.

These increases -- heart disease, accidents (called "unintentional injuries" ), strokes, diabetes, Alzheimers, and diabetes -- all either need emergency medical treatment or early detection and treatment.

This would be going on at the same time that hospitals were seeing overcrowded conditions or patients were not getting routine medical check ups because of the quarantine. Like the factory workers who died in accidents during WW2, the people who died from reduced medical attention or access during this pandemic won't be counted among the official victims of the crisis. But we lost many of them too because we failed to contain the crises as quickly as we could.

[underpants]

1. Accidents went up 18,000 that's + 10+%

I read of the incredible increase in excessive speeding tickets both on th highways and mostly vacant streets. Couple that with less accidents due to a tremendous decrease in traffic for a good part of the year.
Maybe more accidents on at home projects.
Interesting how the numbers worked out on just that part.

[hibbing]

3. That number stood out to me too

My uneducated guess is like you mentioned, people working on home projects. I for example, would cut a limb or my head off attempting any kind of home improvement.

Peace

[Peppertoo]

13. I wonder if some of these accidents are suicides

Or inability to get medical care.

[Sanity Claws]

2. That presumes that the COVID-19 number is correct

I think it was seriously underreported.
Construction and other dangerous occupations were suspended. That means fewer industrial injuries.
Traffic was down and this means fewer fatal car accidents.

[greenjar_01]

8. Agreed...I think some of those classified otherwise were actually COVID deaths

They probably run at 10-20% of the official count.

[Wingus Dingus]

12. I think so too.

I think it was undercounted in Jan, Feb, March of 2020 at the very least.

[ProfessorGAC]

14. Actuaries Agree With You

Since last May, I've had 3 actuaries I know well tell me the actual deaths from COVID was at least 15% higher than recorded.
I'd get an email from one or more of them every couple months with their numbers.
Seeing most other causes of death going down, but total deaths rising by a delta greater than reported CV deaths convinced them. And, since they do this for a living (3 big insurance companies) I trust their opinion.

[BobTheSubgenius]

4. Not a topic I've seen explored. Not at all.

Thank you!

[mdelaguna]

5. I am newly skeptical of cause of death statistics (w/good reason)

My world was shattered when I lost both of my elderly parents (aged 90) in March and April respectively. They both were in good health for their ages (dad in perfect health, mom with the same level of confusion as for the past year & no physical problems. Dad’s decline was never diagnosed but hospice had to put something on their paperwork from his record. He had a tiny non spreading spot on his lung that his doctor told him wouldn’t kill him before something else did in the next 8-10 years (a brusque but honest doc). Similarly mom had a nothing to worry about - tiny breast cancer spot but she was not affected by it nor did she have any imminent prognosis. Basically these things wouldn’t have been in play for years. They had great medical care. Dad’s hospitalization resulted in a battery of scans and tests (esp as he had been an outlier in terms of good mental and physical health for years); the tests found nothing. But his death certificate claims he died of lung cancer. And my mom’s breast cancer. No and no. Mom had dementia- not a bad case - some confusion etc. When she heard dad died she stopped eating and drinking. They said dementia progression can do that (sudden decline), though a broken heart surely contributed too. Elderly people I have realized have such a sensitive cognitive/physiological ecosystem, so one really affects the other. But the main point here is that hospice needs to delve for a patent pre-existing condition for their services from Medicare, and “unexplained rapid decline” doesn’t qualify. Ergo given the lack of attention to elderly causes of death (paperwork filled out by hospice nurses needing a certain kind of data point), I now doubt national stats.

[FakeNoose]

6. If your parents passed away a year ago

... and if they were both in assisted care nursing homes (it sounds like they were) then it's very likely they were early Covid victims.

I hope they didn't suffer long, and I'm very sorry for your loss.

May they rest in peace.

[mdelaguna]

10. No they died in the past 6 weeks

Had both vaccines and no Covid symptoms. Both were hospitalized and tested on admission too

[mdelaguna]

11. And thanks for your well wishes

[malaise]

7. This is a very important post n/t

[LisaL]

9. A lot of people with these conditions were likely afraid of seeking medical care,

due to fear of catching covid.
It's not an unreasonable fear either, but unfortunately some conditions need urgent care. You are probably not going to beat a heart attack sitting at home.