"Let's put the risk of dying by Coronavirus in perspective since there are so many misunderstandings about its connection to the influenza virus.
The CDC states that the death burden of influenza is roughly 61,000/45,000,000 infections. The fatality percentage of influenza is 0.13%.
The death burden of the Covid-19 is around 2% at the moment but may go up as SARS did after 2003
Let's do some quick math to determine how much more deadly, at a minimum, Covid-19 is compared to influenza virus.
0.02/0.0013= 15.[3846153846](tel:3846153846)
At a minimum, Coronavirus is 15.4 times deadlier than the Influenza Virus and twice as contagious; R-value of Coronavirus is 2.2-2.5 at the moment and may go higher based on incoming data and "The median R value for seasonal influenza was 1.28 (IQR: 1.19-1.37)"
Let's stop pretending that it is the equivalent of a common cold. It is a serious disease that spreads easily and often without symptoms.
Let's also put an end to the idea that the mortality rate should go down because "there are many more undiagnosed people unaccounted for". By the same logic, there are also many more Covid-19 deaths unaccounted for. And China is controlling the WHO numbers that get reported. China is also known to severely under report deaths of even influenza because of "pre-existing medical conditions" or pneumonia.They have been doing the same with Covid-19.
There are some people suggesting that the R-value of Covid-19 should go down because after the winter season. The minimum time it takes to show symptoms for Covid-19 is 2 days; some say 24 days. And it spreads throughout that entire incubation period. So you can easily pass it on without knowing that you have it.
Contrast that with Influenza:
"Symptoms can begin about 2 days (but can range from 1 to 4 days) after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those people may still spread the virus to others."
1-4 days VS 2-24 days. Which will be more likely to spread?
The median incubation days for Covid-19 is 5.2 days and the mean incubation of Influenza is 2 days.
That's more than double the incubation time and suggests that the R-values for Covid-19 should go higher rather than lower.
Not to mention the possibility that Covid-19 is beginning to mutate, which means that you can get reinfected with a Covid-19 variant even if you do beat it the first time. And it could take 6+ years for development of a vaccine.
~20% of confirmed coronavirus cases have also required hospitalization and "life-saving measures"."