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Why do we need to correctly count all covid deaths?
To spread doom and gloom for the sake of it? No.
Coz it's an important tool for epidemiologists? Not only that.
To deal with a problem we must first understand how bad it is..
And because it's vital for our collective memory.
To spread doom and gloom for the sake of it? No.
Coz it's an important tool for epidemiologists? Not only that.
To deal with a problem we must first understand how bad it is..
And because it's vital for our collective memory.
It has become more and more apparent with each passing day, that the number of deaths is not only being grossly undercounted (which may be unavoidable in many cases) but that it is being SYSTEMATICALLY undercounted. https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1384782984138694658?s=19
We already know from last year how many states are getting away with this:
1. Using a restricted definition to define a "covid death"
2. Excluding patients who died with comorbidities
3. Not entering covid status in death certificates
4. Not testing, restricting the criteria
1. Using a restricted definition to define a "covid death"
2. Excluding patients who died with comorbidities
3. Not entering covid status in death certificates
4. Not testing, restricting the criteria
But this year is especially bad due to the overwhelming number of deaths due to not being able to access beds, care, oxygen: these aren't being counted though they should be.
It's important to not let these deaths escape our collective memory.
As a nation we must never forget.
It's important to not let these deaths escape our collective memory.
As a nation we must never forget.
Before you comment, I'm gonna link to this thread by @muradbanaji that lists districts with gross undercounting 
https://twitter.com/muradbanaji/status/1284481215563575296?s=19
https://twitter.com/muradbanaji/status/1284481215563575296?s=19
Also see this thread showing satellite data from districts in UP showing light signals from crematoria https://twitter.com/rajbhagatt/status/1386300715203584005?s=19
https://twitter.com/rajbhagatt/status/1386300715203584005?s=19
This 2020 article by @PriyankaPulla was one of the first to go into the issue of undercounting https://twitter.com/PriyankaPulla/status/1284093864853139456?s=19
https://twitter.com/PriyankaPulla/status/1284093864853139456?s=19
Also full credit to all the reporters on the field who are not allowing these stories to be buried by the state.
I wrote this thread as a response to all the flak that journalists are getting for merely reporting on facts on the ground. And as a response to the policy wonks who accused us last year of counting deaths as a "spectator sport" & mock us as "death experts". You know who you are.
Hiding deaths and denying the problem does us no good. It let's those who should have been more responsible off the hook.
It belittles the damage done to our nation and our loved ones.
Acknowledging the deaths emphasizes the need for disaster planning/preparedness for the future.
It belittles the damage done to our nation and our loved ones.
Acknowledging the deaths emphasizes the need for disaster planning/preparedness for the future.
@threadreaderapp unroll please
I am also not going to comment on India's mortality rate/ IFR vis-a-vis other countries.. I would echo the view that is too early to reliably estimate the mortality of this second wave, and that's a matter for epidemiologists to explore..
A job made harder by this undercounting.
A job made harder by this undercounting.
