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Unclear on the concept

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* Center Square…

State officials have recorded 21,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Illinois since the outset of the pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed 19,893 deaths through the end of February in Illinois where COVID-19 was listed among multiple causes. Of those deaths, about 1,830, or 9.2 percent, had COVID-19 listed as the sole cause of death.

That percentage is higher than it was in September 2020 when the rate was about 6%.

But a county coroner is calling for a full audit after reviewing some of the deaths in his county.

“My concern is, I’ve reviewed several cases, (of 100 cases) about ten of them here in Monroe County, that the state has deemed COVID-related deaths and none of them have had underlying conditions or contributing factors to COVID,” Monroe County Coroner Bob Hill said. “So my concern is no matter when the person was tested positive, the state is automatically giving them a death classification as related to COVID.”

Um, the state posts death information supplied to it by certifying physicians, local public health departments and coroners. If he’s got a problem, he needs to deal with it locally.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:03 pm

Comments

What does he think he was elected to do? Arrest the sheriff if absolutely necessary?

Comment by Archpundit Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:12 pm
This has been a complaint (mostly from the right) from the start of the pandemic: that the pandemic is only a big deal because the numbers are being inflated. While it is true that underlying conditions make it more likely someone will die from COVID, they probably would not have died when they did if they had not been infected with COVID.

The simplest way to check the impact of COVID is to compare the number of deaths over the past year to the “normal” trends. It is clear that the numbers assigned to COVID are valid.

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/excess_deaths.htm

Scroll down for a very telling graphical illustration.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:13 pm
=== certifying physicians, local public health departments and coroners===

What’s ridiculous with not grasping where the numbers come from is ignoring that those giving the numbers are the ones best to tally such tragedy.

Also… so 19K+ is better?

That’s some pathetic, looking for loopholes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:19 pm
You report confirmed and probable cases every day. Thinking that the numbers aren’t skewed on the high side is willful ignorance.

Comment by Lowball Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:20 pm
Except the problem of the increase in the overall mortality rate suggests the numbers aren’t skewed on the high side.

Comment by Archpundit Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:23 pm
===on the high side is willful ignorance===

So… certifying physicians, local public health departments and coroners… they’re all wrong

What’s most amazing is this continuation of downplaying the damage and death that the virus has caused… but in that same thought, it can’t be explained how these “skewed” numbers fit into their conspiracy theories… globally too.

Small minded folks with small minded conspiracies thinking it’s from their alleged big brain.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:32 pm
Willful denial of needless deaths due to Covid 19 is consciously malicious.

Comment by Dotnonymous Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:34 pm
Death certificates record the underlying condition of death, not the entire story of how the decedent arrived at that underlying condition. I also do not anticipate that he would have had extensive access to medical records of the decedents, or have understood them completely if he did.

This imbecile isn’t a physician and should stop stoking conspiracy theories to raise his own profile.

The IDPH has been very clear about exactly what they have been reporting. The commenters here who are pretending like it matters if the person who dies while being a COVID-19 patient may not have been killed enough by COVID-19 to count as a COVID-19 related death must be the types of people whose family and friends refuse to play monopoly with them.

Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:38 pm
===coroners… they’re all wrong ===

Bob Hill is wrong. Let’s make it clear here that he is either a moron with insufficient education, or he is intentionally trying to mislead the public.

Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:40 pm
Cancer doesn’t kill you. Your organs failing because of cancerous cells kills you. Falling out of a plane doesn’t kill you. Hitting the ground kills you.

I mean, why are we still arguing about this.

Comment by Perrid Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:53 pm
===… he is intentionally trying to mislead the public.===

The goal is to first downplay then seemingly lower the damage and tragedy.

This idea of willfulness is the continued attempt to downplay.

The call for an “audit” is again an attempt to weaken our belief in professionals fighting this virus who know it’s not something to downplay.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:58 pm
This has been explained ad nauseam to folks who insist that “only 6%” of deaths were from COVID. Most COVID deaths are due to resulting pneumonia, heart problems, etc., and people with preexisting conditions are more vulnerable to a severe infection. It’s so disingenuous to pretend like this is an actual question.

Comment by wildcat12 Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 4:59 pm
Sadly, I have family members I’ve argued with who believe this tripe because of “experts” like this coroner and cases of people in hospice dying from Covid-19. The reason, they said, these should not have counted as Covid deaths? They were in hospice and going to die anyway. Ugh.

Comment by Steve Polite Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 5:14 pm
===The call for an “audit” is again===

Speaking of audits, I am not an expert on Illinois campaign finance law.

Should Bob Hill be worried about paying his own for profit business campaign funds in order to produce campaign materials for his political campaign?

Is it illegal to personally profit from your campaign’s political expenditures, or is it just illegal to use campaign funds for personal use?

Either way, it looks like Bob Hill is paying Bob Hill (indirectly) to produce his campaign materials.

Comment by Candy Dogood Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 5:23 pm
This guy is a certified Luddite. He’s locked down his Twitter page. Wonder why? Sarcasm was intentional.

Comment by Glengarry Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 5:26 pm
“He’s locked down his Twitter page.”

This is a common behavior when people know they are caught in a lie.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen this happen.

If one really believed what they are saying, why wouldn’t they want it to get to the largest audience possible?

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 6:15 pm
Leave it to Center Square to amplify voices that fuel right wing outrage without shedding any actual light on the subject

Comment by Socially DIstant Watcher Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 6:22 pm
He be probably the new mayor of a Columbia…..just saying.

Comment by Blue Dog Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 6:29 pm
One of the oldest and most tiresome lies of the pandemic. Last year the US suffered the highest death rate since records have been kept. 25% higher than usual. And now this lie is being used to justify not getting vaccinated. Infuriating.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 6:30 pm
So are they or not?

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 7:00 pm
Everything I say is true, everything you say is lies and fake news.

Comment by Snarkie from Schaumburg Wednesday, Mar 17, 21 @ 11:17 pm
I’m calling for a full audit of Center Square funding.

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Mar 18, 21 @ 6:57 am
To the post: So he’s saying his numbers are also wrong? /snark
To Snarkie : I always tell the truth, unless I’m lying. And my facts beat your facts, even if my facts are lies.

Comment by thisjustinagain Thursday, Mar 18, 21 @ 9:49 am