A Perspective on the Coronavirus

Just some thoughts as I’m trying to put this Chinese virus in perspective.

While I understand that COVID-19 is very dangerous, I was trying to put it in some kind of larger picture in my thinking.

In 2017 2.7 million people died from all causes in the U.S. I think they are now projecting 66,000 deaths from COVID 19 in the U.S. for 2020. So if that turns out the be true, it’s a mere 2.44% of what might be expected this year, assuming there are not more deaths that result from the economic depression we are now entering: suicides, heart attacks, drug addiction, etc.

Perhaps the numbers would have been much higher were it not for social distancing, etc. But what they are finding out now is that a huge number of asymptomatic people have had the disease so the number of people who actually die from this virus may be much lower than 1% of those who get it. Rand Paul suggests it could be as low as 0.1% to 0.2% of those who get the disease. That’s not to say we shouldn’t take it seriously, practice good hygiene, etc. But I think there are other agendas besides good health at play here. There was a hit job on Trump recently regarding hydroxychloroquine.  Anyway just my thoughts. I’m afraid that if the disease doesn’t kill us, the economic fallout might. But I am glad I’m a gold bug about now.

Of course, as a Ron and Rand Paul fan, you all know my bias and I try to consider that too. But just my 2 cents worth.

And, for those of you, who haven’t heard Senator Rand Paul’s speech, you can read my synopsis below or, better yet, watch the video with his very insightful speech at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKxrPZm8ZkE

Senator Rand Paul (M.D.) Explains Why Printing Money Won’t Save America

Senator Rand Paul opposed more government handouts related to COVID-19. He explains that no amount of money created out of thin air will save America. In fact it will make things worse longer term.  But he also pointed out that based on scientific evidence the number of people who have had COVID-19 is vastly larger than first thought, meaning that the death rate from this virus may be as little as 0.1% or 0.2%.

He cautions that the virus is not to be taken lightly but to shut the economy down will result in sure death as well. At last count 51,956 people died in the U.S. from COVID and 26 million have filed initial jobless claims. In other words, for every death about 500 jobs are lost. As massive numbers of companies go out of business, the unemployed are likely to rise much further resulting in massive poverty which correlates to massive increases in suicides and other pathological behavior.