I’ve seen so many articles, blog posts, news updates about this virus, and yet again, I am jumping on the bandwagon of discussing it. It seems like everyday there’s new information about the virus, so I think the news is actually pretty interesting! I’m especially intrigued by the trends, like death rates, of different countries. And so here I am, writing yet another post about COVID-19.
As you probably know, the virus is most fatal for the older population. Therefore, it would make sense that the countries with the biggest proportion of elderlies, like Japan and Italy, would have the highest death rates. In Italy’s case, this is very evident. The number of deaths in Italy surpassed the number of deaths in China when the total number of cases in Italy was only half that of in China. The death rate in Italy is around 10%, which is pretty high, compared to other countries’. Italy’s older population does play a role in this: around 23% of the population is age 65 or older, and many of those who died were in their 80s and 90s. It could also be how the population is arranged: many elderlies live at home with 18-34 year olds, so the younger family members, who may not show many symptoms, can easily pass the virus on to the more vulnerable older family members. Another factor could be that the virus started spreading undetected, when measures, like the country-wide lockdown, were not yet imposed. Italy’s healthcare system is also straining under all of the cases, with a shortage of resources and workers, as nurses and doctors are also becoming infected. This forces doctors to make the tough decision of who to provide resources to, and it can’t be everyone. Other factors to consider: the death rate may actually be lower, considering the amount of people who have the virus but aren’t tested; other countries may just be behind Italy on the trend. Japan, on the other hand, was expected to have a coronavirus explosion, but it didn’t (or has not yet) happen. Some factors that could’ve played into this are Japan’s proximity to China, leading to earlier preparations, overall higher rates of handwashing than in European countries, and a culture of less physical contact, like hugging and handshaking. However, Japan also hasn’t been doing extensive testing, so the numbers may not reflect the true amount of people with the virus. If this is the case, there could be a spike in cases soon. Germany’s trend is interesting: it has one of the highest number of cases, but with a very low death rate. This could be due to a technique opposite of Japan’s: extensive testing in order to detect outbreaks early. Germany’s other policies, like restricting gatherings and closing nonessential businesses, are more or less the same as other countries’. Also, the median age of infected people in Germany is younger, and this could be due to successfully limiting contact with the older population. I think it’s so interesting that so many factors can contribute to how a virus affects a country. I had first thought that population age could be a good indicator of death rate. However, this is not the case: these three countries all have some of the oldest populations, but their death rates vary quite a bit. Nevertheless, I think it’s still beneficial to learn about other countries’ coronavirus situations to understand what works and doesn’t work for containing the virus. For the health of everyone, it is best to stay informed, so we can try to prevent the worst outcome. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! It’s definitely been a long couple of weeks, but I think this situation has helped me appreciate the little things in life, like going to the grocery store or hanging out with friends, even more.
5 Comments
3/29/2020 09:41:31 am
The biggest takeaway from the success seen in South Korea is the benefit of mass testing. It's ridiculous that most people in the US still don't have access to proper testing. There's plenty of evidence that more people have been infected than we know, because some studies suggest up to 30% of those with coronavirus will have no symptoms. Our best strategy would be mass testing and quarantining of anyone who tests positive, and yet the government is still lagging on this. It's incredibly frustrating.
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3/29/2020 06:23:50 pm
I think the current situation has made us all more grateful for the little things for sure. Throughout this craziness, personally I've enjoyed seeing the outpour of community support come together to help those in need...it's been amazing to witness. Hopefully everyone continues to remain inside as much as possible though so we can return back to normal life!
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3/30/2020 05:42:17 am
This is interesting to me as well. It'll be extremely interesting to read about in a year from now...
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3/31/2020 02:35:51 pm
I haven't really looked at other countries quite in depth as there are a lot of PSAs/news on local and national level already. But it's good to know there are countries outside of Canada addressing COVID-19 with some 'success'.
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