This helps put things in perspective.  Well except for China that is. 

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Thanks for the link MP.

These types of general population studies are necessary to come up with a coherent response. In the time being we're flying blind. In Minnesota we've recorded (from the most recent data) 121 deaths- no doubt tragic. On the other hand the median age of death is 84- which is a seriously mind-bogglingly aged data set. Hard to come up with any group (including "residents of assisted living") with a median age that old. Median age requiring hospitalization is a more sobering 64 (ICU hospitalizations a mere 65). Interestingly there was one individual aged 104 who has tested positive and is still ticking.

Maybe it is my advanced age talking (of course it is), but I don't see the distinction here.  My husband, age 74+,  has dealt with type1 diabetes since 1974 and he is immune-suppressed because of medications taken so that his body doesn't reject his transplanted kidney.  He also has cardiopumonary issues and bladder issues.  He has survived hospitalizations in the past decade or so because of pneumonia once and sepsis another time.

But he is controlling all of these conditions with lifestyle and medications, and he is outwardly healthy.  He digs in the ground, splits wood, does many activities that, for a man of his age, might qualify as "active."

If he contracts Covid19 and he dies, IMHO his death will be from Covid19, not from the other underlying conditions that he has been living with for a very long time.

By the same token, I am also 74+ (we will both turn 75 this summer) and I recently had open heart surgery to correct several structural issues with my heart.  I am still rehabbing from that surgery and getting stronger.  If I contract Covid19 and die, is my cause of death "heart condition"?  I don't think so.  I think if I contract Covid19 and die, my cause of death is "Covid19."

Many of us, as we age, have underlying health issues.  But if we are functioning in spite of them, and then if we contract this disease, I cannot see the distinction of sorting us out because of our age or our chronic medical conditions.

Just my 2 cents.

Spartan2 wrote on Apr 19^th, 2020 at 5:40pm:


  To understand COVID-19 they need to learn all they can about how it spreads, how lethal it is and so on.

  A bad case of the seasonal flu might be fatal to either of you because of your underlying conditions.
That needs to be taken into the science of this.
When you have people that are in that age group survive and recover the Drs need to know why they did and others didn't. Is it just underlying health issues OR something else? I've seen reports that say your blood type might play a role?

  On the personal level dying from anything no matter what your health issues are a terrible thing.

I hope everyone is watching the WH COVID-19 briefing today?

  You can skip the President speaking if you don't care for him, but listen to the General that runs the Army Corp of Engineer's and the people talking about the testing issues.

Those tests and the equipment needed to do them are not just things you buy off the shelf.

A swab ISN'T just a swap when its used to collect a biological sample.  These people are working 24/7 to ramp up a testing system in weeks that under NORMAL circumstances would take years. That is important to understand.

Same with showing 5,000 sites across the Nation that can do the testing. It took 2 yrs to plan for D-Day in WW2 and they still had major problems.

  This COVID-19 D-Day is being planned and organized/ equipped in a matter of weeks. To expect no foul-ups in an effort this massive in such a short time is unrealistic.