Tuesday, May 05, 2020

Projections of US deaths double since states re-open their economies

So, go figure, a major epidemic model has just doubled its predictions of US deaths from the coronavirus, due to the unexpected early re-opening of economies and relaxation of pandemic precautions in many states.
The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is now predicting a death toll of 135,000, almost double previous projections, and it is blaming this on the easing of restrictions on commercial and social activities. That's an awful lot of deaths to weigh on the consciences of state decision-makers.
This should be a huge red flag for those red-neck states in the centre of the country who are doing most of the relaxation, in many cases against the recommendations of even the far-from-prudent Trump administration. But don't hold you breath. It should also be a red flag for Canadian provinces, which are also starting to open up, albeit a little more carefully.

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