Why are more than 300 people in the US still dying from COVID every week?

[SunSeeker]

Public health experts told ABC News that although the U.S. is in a much better place than it was a few years ago, COVID is still a threat to high-risk groups.

"The fact that we're still seeing deaths just means it's still circulating, and people are still catching it," Dr. Tony Moody, a professor in the department of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Duke University Medical Center, told ABC News.

The experts said there are a few reasons why people might still be dying from the virus, including low vaccination uptake, waning immunity and not enough people accessing treatments.During the 2024-25 season, only 23% of adults aged 18 and older received the updated COVID-19 vaccine as of the week ending April 26, according to CDC data. Among children, just 13% of them received the updated COVID vaccine over the same period, the data shows.

Additionally, Poland said that immunity from COVID-19 vaccines wanes over time, increasing the likelihood of being infected.This is why the current recommendation for those aged 65 and older is to receive two doses of the updated COVID vaccine six months apart.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/300-people-us-dying-covid-week/story?id=122068959

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Personal story. My BFF died of Covid pneumonia less than a month ago.

He was suffering from bone marrow cancer, affecting his immune system. His body wasn't strong enough to endure the Covid vaccine. His vertebra had micro-fractures. He had an operation and was in rehab and was supposedly getting stronger with occupational and physical therapies.

But while in the facility, unbeknownst to him and the staff, he contracted Covid. Being 77+ and having a compromised immunity, he also contracted pneumonia.

I spoke to him less than 36 hours before he died of respiratory failure.

He was rushed from the rehab facility to an emergency room, but he couldn't be saved.

Yes, Covid is still out there.

Get your shots and wash your hands.

[Ms. Toad]

10. A friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer in December.

His treatment was delayed until March because he was infected with COVID not once, but twice while in the hospital. No one was taking precautions until he started posting signs on his door after the second infection that no one was to enter without a mask.

[SunSeeker]

15. OMG That's horrifying.

I had cancer treatment before covid and nurses knew to wear masks in the chemo infusion room because chemo wipes out your white blood cells and ability to fight infection. What is the hospital your friend was in?

[Ms. Toad]

17. It's gotten worse since COVID.

The anti-mask sentiment hasn't just impacted non-medical folks

He was in University Hospitals in Cleveland, and several different nursing homes (one infection was hospital, the second was nursing home). My daughter on immune suppressant drugs had the same experience in Cleveland Clinic in both Cleveland and Akron (She didn't catch COVID - but no one was masking. A few asked if they should when they saw her wearing a mask . . . But mask wearing in hospitals should be routine, given that a whole lot of people there didn't have the standard ability to fight infections.)

[SunSeeker]

18. Cleveland Clinic?! Holy cow.

I can see it happening in a rural hospital trying to save on masks, but Cleveland Clinic? Inexcusable!

[Ms. Toad]

19. About a year ago, I was exposed to COVID

I'm still masking, but not at home. My spouse isn't, and got COVID. She didn't tell me about mild symptoms she had until the second day, so we shared a bed at her most contagious stage. I started masking and. Isolating in the home - but my spouse is emotionally incapable of masking, so there was still a decent chance I would catch it.

I had no symptoms, but was within the period of time that I could be asymptomatic, test negative, but still be contagious when I had a cancer check-up. After testing negative the day of the appointment I decided not to cancel the appointment. I masked up, and informed everyone of my recent exposure before close contact so they could choose to throw on a mask to protect themselves and their other patients.

Only one person would have done so (a resident), but she couldn't find a mask.

Cleveland Clinic. Main Campus. With a disclosed recent, unmasked extended exposure to COVID. Not a single masked care provider.

Like I said - the anti-mask sentiment didn't stop at the doors if the medical facilities. I am far less likely to encounter anyone wearing a mask in the hospital now than before COVID.

[Cha]

2. I had no idea... Mahalo for the

article, SunSeeker.

[Sympthsical]

3. It's endemic now. More people die of flu.

And just like the flu, people can get their shots or not or whatever.

Just how it’s going to be now.

[progree]

4. This NPR story (May 22) says more people die from Covid than from flu

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/05/22/npr-covid-booster-change-fda

Even though COVID is still claiming more lives than the flu, most U.S. adults have declined to get vaccinated against COVID in recent years and even fewer parents have opted to vaccinate their children. Children tend to be far less likely to get seriously ill from COVID, but the disease can still be serious for them, especially very young children.

[MotownPgh]

6. And now the administration is saying

no covid shots for children or those under 65. Just culling the sick, handicapped and elderly.

[LymphocyteLover]

9. which is so very wrong and will kill people

[progree]

11. How is it "culling the sick, handicapped, and elderly" if they are the only ones approved for shots?

no covid shots for children or those under 65. Just culling the sick, handicapped and elderly.

[MotownPgh]

12. They want the healthier carriers to

expose the vulnerable. And even vaccinated, the sick, disabled and elderly die of covid the most. So the lack of vaccinations for the under 65 crowd acts as a vehicle to expose the vulnerable by design.

[SunSeeker]

16. Yup. Like with measles, it kills newborns because they're too young to get vaccinated.

And all the unvaccinated people keep it in circulation, thus endangering those babies' lives.

[Sympthsical]

7. I was going off CDC numbers

https://www.cdc.gov/flu-burden/php/data-vis/2024-2025.html

https://www.cdc.gov/covid/php/surveillance/burden-estimates.html

A lot of people die of flu every year - mostly people with comorbidities which is also the case with Covid. But we're used to flu deaths, so we almost don't even really notice. Covid's still somewhat novel, so it's notable that it remains a thing. However, this past year, flu overtook Covid in deaths for the first time since the pandemic.

I have no idea where that article sourced its statement from. There's no citation or numbers.

The problem with Covid is it has a higher mortality rate, so it's more dangerous if you do get it, particularly when immunocompromised or with comorbidity. But the numbers have ticked down to such that it's basically in flu area of public health problems these days.

Barring some crazy hell variant, which seems unlikely at this point, it's going to be handled like flu going forward. And the public will do what they do. Those at risk will get shots, and people who don't think they're at risk won't bother very much.

I just got my latest booster in April, but I also work in healthcare, so regular vaccines are a thing.

[samplegirl]

5. My girlfriends husband went into

the hospital caught the covid and it killed him.

[Botany]

8. Why?

Russian misinformation about the vaccine, the disease, and the virus that gets washed
through the media, especially right wing media and web sites, the GOP, Christo Fascist
Evangelicals, and millions of stupid mother fuckers who have become epidemiologists
and experts in medicine and have taken a fairly straight forward bio medical problem
and made it a political/cultural issue.

[progree]

13. Fears grow as new Covid strain emerges in US after cases surge in China (NB.1.8.1)

Last edited Tue May 27, 2025, 04:07 PM - Edit history (1)

Fears grow as new Covid strain emerges in US after cases surge in China, Evening Standard, 5/25/25

The US has reported the arrival of a new and potentially more contagious strain of Covid-19, following a sharp rise in cases and hospitalisations in China and parts of Asia.

The variant, known as NB.1.8.1, is believed to be behind a recent surge in infections and has now been detected at multiple international airports across the United States. There is also evidence that NB.1.8.1 is now spreading locally within the US.

China has seen a dramatic spike in serious Covid cases in recent weeks, with the number of severely ill respiratory patients and the proportion of A&E patients testing positive almost doubling over the past month.
This reflects a similar surge in other Asian countries, with Taiwan dealing with a 78% increase in Covid hospital admissions.

The World Health Organisation has said that the new variant does not seem to cause a more dangerous illness, but that it could be more transmissible and therefore lead to more rapid infections.
More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/fears-grow-as-new-covid-strain-emerges-in-us-after-cases-surge-in-china/ar-AA1Frxrn

A&E is Accident and Emergency

[SunSeeker]

14. 78% increase in Covid hospital admissions is pretty dramatic.

We're next I guess.