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Covid19 Vs Flu: Is Covid19 Deadlier?

Is it a deadly pandemic or just another flu?

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You may have noticed certain public figures or close friends of yours question how deadly the Covid19 virus is. You may have even done it yourself. I know I have wondered in the back of my mind if it is really as bad as it seems. This doubt, combined with news fatigue has left even the most critical thinking amongst us to wonder, is Covid19 really that bad?

Let’s take a rational look at this, with no political bias (at least as little as possible) and good solid data to answer the question, is Covid19 deadlier than the flu?

Firstly, let’s look at the mortality rate of both viruses (what percentage of people who catch the virus die from it). This has not been easy to estimate for Covid19, as not everyone with Covid19 has been tested, so we don’t actually know how many people have it!

This is why at the beginning of the pandemic, WHO (World Health Organisation) estimated the mortality rate of Covid19 to be 3%–4%. They could only estimate how many people had it and did not want to underestimate the virus. In short, they were taking the worst-case scenario and preparing people for it.

Our estimates for the mortality rate still aren’t 100% accurate. There aren’t enough Covid19 testing kits to test a whole…

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Will Lockett
Will Lockett

Written by Will Lockett

Independent journalist covering global politics, climate change and technology. Get articles early at www.planetearthandbeyond.co

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