Covid Deadly for the Elderly

The New York Times reported yesterday that 1 in 100 Americans over the age of 65 has died from Covid 19 or its variants since the pandemic began early last year. For all other age groups, the ratio is in 1 in 1400. The Times also reported that 75 percent of the Covid 19 deaths in the United States have been people over the age of 65. 

As a person over 65, I found these statistics pretty alarming. Although I have done a lot of reading about the virus since it began infecting Americans almost two years ago, I was not conscience of just how much more deadly the virus has been for the elderly. It's important to note that the vast majority of the people over 65 who died from the virus were unvaccinated. That would include those who died prior to the vaccine being available and since that time. The elderly population continues to have the highest vaccination rate.

I have had all three of the shots available, but still wear a mask in certain situations. There is always at least one in my pocket so if I am in a place that goes from feeling safe to unsafe, I can quickly put one on. Sometimes it is a store or restaurant becoming more crowded or encountering someone who is coughing or sneezing. At the YMCA someone doing a lot of heavy breathing causes me to mask up. 

A couple of weeks ago I was eating with a group of co-workers, some of whom I did not know well. After the meal I had not put my mask back on. During the conversation the woman next to me was telling how she suffered some type of sprain during a fall. When someone asked if she saw a physician, she replied that she does not go to the doctor. This was enough for me know to immediately put my mask on. 

It is frustrating to feel this way after being fully vaccinated, but the New York Times article reinforced my belief that it is still better to wear a mask when out in a group of people I don't know. I am confident that the vaccine works to level the experts say it does, but even they admit that it is not perfect. I am not going to take any unnecessary risks that could land me in the breakthrough case category, or worse, be one of the 1 in 100 people over 65 who have died from the virus already.