Letter to the editor: Moving forward on covid-19

We are nearly two months past Pennsylvania’s first reported covid-19 case, yet there still seems to be a growing number of unanswered questions about just how much risk one faces from the virus.

We know that covid-19 can be highly lethal in high-risk populations. At the time of this writing, 21% of cases and 67% of deaths in Pennsylvania were in nursing homes. That number is even higher at 29% and 78% for Allegheny County and 40% and 89% for Westmoreland County.

Nationally, 58% of all deaths are in the 75-plus demographic. Covid-19 is killing roughly 100 out of every 100,000 people over age 75. While that sounds horrific, remember that the life expectancy for Americans born today is 78 and that nearly 1,850 out of every 100,000 people in that age range have died during the past three months across all causes.

As we move toward a reopening of society, we need to have better tools and metrics available to understand individual risks. Schools have been shuttered and children’s activities have been canceled despite the fact that mortality rates for people under 24 are virtually zero. Allowing young people to resume some semblance of normal life seems reasonable.

Leaders have provided conflicting messages backed by inconsistent and ever-changing data. While covid-19 is a threat, it is far from the species-level event that some predicted. Like many infectious diseases, covid-19 may never reach a zero-threat level. We need decision-making tools supported by accurate data to help individuals make decisions that are best for them and their families.

Jason Prodonovich

Robinson