Quote Originally Posted by Dawgology View Post
Well, that's what you said. If you meant something different then that's ok. I followed up with actual data regarding homicide rates. I'll follow that up with a couple of other things: before covid arrived on American shores the nation was already seeing an uptick in the national suicide rate. Since Covid-19 there has been a 65% increase in the suicide call centers across the nation. Many of these are closely correlated with unemployment and anxiety. Anecdotally, in my jurisdiction we worked 3 suicides last year...I've 8 so far this year and the year isn't over. The holidays are typically when most of our suicides takes place. Interestlingly, there has also seen a 35% increase in non-covid deaths since March.

This isn't to say that there aren't covid deaths that have gone unreported. It would be foolish to think that there isn't but it can't be assumed that all deaths above the mean...or even half...or even a tenth...are covid related because there is little empirical data from which to derive that theory. That hasn't stopped some cities and states from doing just that, though, and that is disingenuous at best.
Gotcha. I will concede that a higher than normal number of deaths aren't because the person was sick with the virus, but was a byproduct of the toll the virus has taken in other ways. However you want to slice it, mortality rate has increased this year and the only significant change is that we've had a novel virus introduced to society.