ファイナンシャルタイムスのCOVID-19の分析をされているJohn Burn-Murdoch氏が読むべきと勧めてくださっていた記事を読んだ。題して、「“There’s life in the old dog yet” – let no-one be abandoned to Covid-19.」(試訳「老犬にも余命がある:COVID-19に誰も置き去りにしてはならない」)。欧州ではかなりシビアな状況になっているようで、それでも高齢者のケアを続けるべきだという主張に受け止めた。
Summary
Although many COVID-19 deaths involve those with chronic health problems (e.g. diabetics), such health problems are normal at high ages. People with managed conditions such as diabetes, even in the presence of adverse risk factors (e.g. obesity, smoking) would generally have several years of life expectancy at high ages. The contention that the majority of this year's COVID-19 victims would have died this year absent the coronavirus is incorrect. Furthermore, it is a dangerous message as it could easily lead to an 'it doesn't matter' attitude to the health crisis, and in particular, could weaken the case for social distancing.