Stop playing politics with human lives, Part I

 I’m getting more than a little tired of the game-playing being done with Covid-19 death numbers to help this political side or that one.

There are recent reports that show that, after careful analysis of the deaths of more than 180,000 people, perhaps as few as just under 10,000 of those died solely because of the virus.

Of course, some people were quick to jump on that number as proof of the “hoax” being perpetuated for political purposes. I’ve seen social media posts from acquaintances of mine that have stated that every death in the nation since mid-March has somehow been connected to Covid-19, hence the “inflation” of virus-related deaths.

It’s those kinds of stupid comments being made that make me so sad. Because even though the statement is a theatrical exaggeration, if true, it would mean that nearly 1.4 million people would be dead of Covid-19 through mid-August. And there are too many of us who believe everything we see and swallow it without doing our own research and verification.

In 2017, an average of 7,708 deaths occurred in the U.S. every day, according to the CDC. That means about 1,387,440 American residents have died in the past six months. Covid-19 is said to be responsible for more than 180,000 of those deaths.

In spite of those deaths, and in spite of most of us knowing someone who has either died of the virus or survived a hellacious hospital stay to beat it, there are still way too many who say it is a hoax being perpetuated for political purposes and are now using a CDC report to bolster their claim.

The CDC has released a report that shows 94 percent of all Covid deaths involved people with underlying or contributing conditions. This is no real surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention since the beginning of the pandemic. We’ve been told since Day 1 that the virus posed a much more serious threat to older people with worn-out immune systems, very young children with immature immune systems and anyone with an acute illness or any chronic medical condition.

So the hoaxers are claiming that fewer than 10,000 deaths are due to Covid and the common flu is much worse.

But here’s the deal. The reality is that more than 180,000 of our friends, neighbors, family members and colleagues are dead because of this virus. Their previous heart attack did not kill them, this virus did. Their lupus did not kill them, this virus did. Their kidney failure did not kill them, this virus did.

These folks would have continued living, taking their medicines and receiving other medical care to control or maintain their chronic conditions.

And here’s the deal with underlying conditions. Have you ever had a heart attack or stroke? Ever had cancer? Do you have lupus, multiple sclerosis, ALS, fibromyalgia, afib? Are your kidneys or liver functioning at less than 100 percent? Take medicine for high blood pressure or cholesterol? Do you have asthma or allergies? COPD? Chronic bronchitis?

If you answered yes to any of the above or hundreds of other similar questions that could be asked, congratulations! You have “contributing conditions.”

If you have kidney failure or lupus or systemic arthritis, I’m sure you want to go on living — taking your meds and doing what the docs tell you to maintain your health and quality of life. I’m sure you don’t plan on doing everything you can to stay alive, only to have that life taken by a virus that could have been prevented with just a little preparation and a lot of consideration and compassion for our fellow humans.

I don’t care if the number of deaths is 200,00 or 10,000, here’s the important element to remember about those numbers. They were human beings. People who are dead who should not be dead. Period. Children have lost parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and even siblings. Neighbors have lost neighbors, colleagues have lost fellow workers, medical professionals have lost their lives while treating their infected patients, and any number of people have gotten sick just trying to carry out their daily routine.

So keep your politics, regardless of side, out of this argument. This virus is real, it’s here and it’s still spreading. It’s spreading because people are hanging out (illegally) in packed bars as they sit shoulder to shoulder with people they don’t live with, they’re playing pool and horseshoes in packed indoor and outdoor areas with people they don’t live with, and they aren’t wearing masks because that "takes away their civil liberties." Young college students who are still at the age when they think they are invincible are gathering in alcohol parties with no masks and absolutely no social distancing. They’re drinking from common cups and bottles and they’re getting sick. And when their schools get closed because of their irresponsible behavior, they're taking the virus home with them to vulnerable relatives and friends.

People are dead who shouldn’t be dead.

People are dead who shouldn’t be dead.

In case you missed that, people are dead who shouldn’t be dead.

If the number was just one or 3 million, people are dead who shouldn’t be dead.

Shut up about politics and let’s all do what we can do to eliminate this virus.

Period.