Joe Biden says the pandemic is over... what do the numbers say?

[AviatorTom]

On September 18, 2022, US President Joe Biden said "the pandemic is over."

Let's check the numbers and see if he's right.

All data in this myTake is from the WHO's website that monitors the pandemic, specifically using data for the United States. A useful measurement that has been used by the experts is the "Previous 7-Day Average" and the graphs below show running totals and the 7-day average. Each of the graphs show data over time (horizontal axis, from 1-Jan-2020 to 20-Sep-2022, inclusive), with the vertical axis showing the data being measured.

Let's first take a look at the number of cases in the United States.

The data shows that the number of cases are still happening, at an average of about 50 thousand per day, for a total of almost 100 million cases.

Perhaps more important than cases, though, is the number of deaths.

Like cases, the data shows that deaths are still happening, at an average of less than 500 per day, for a total of just over 1 million deaths. Perhaps more important is that this" less than 500 deaths per day" has been happening for the past 6 months.

Finally, let's look at a statistic that is often looked at... what is the fatality rate. In other words, for every 100 people who contract the virus, how many die?

After all the peaks and valleys of the past (where the fatality rate has gone as high as 8 deaths per 100 cases), the fatality rate has been less than 1 for the past 7 months, and is averaging about 0.5 deaths per 100 cases (or 1 death for every 200 cases).

Looking at all this data, is President Biden right? The WHO isn't ready to declare the pandemic over, though it says that the end is in sight.

What do you think?

[Amy10223]

Well, to be fair, this global pandemic is around the world, not just in the US. But in answer to your question, the pandemic is not over--but the worst is over. And he did say that Covid 19 is still here--but that thingsa are improved. People were dying at a much more rapid rate in 2020 than they are now. Rates of hospitalization are down all around the country. It may be due to many difdrent factors--such as immunization, wearing of masks inside stores, staying at home for the most part, etc. If you look around--people are not wearing masks (I am still at stores). There isn't that fear about how this is spreading so fast--beecause since last year around this time, Sept of 2021, the numbers of people dying began to drop. So I imagine they are much kess now than they were since last year. This is the same for the entire world. The situation has improved--but it's certainly not over.

[Amy10223]

Thanks for the MHG

[dustybiker]

It was an ignorant, flippant thing to say going into flu season. Immunity lasts three months. Holiday socializing approach.

It’s something that will always be around, mutating to stay alive like the rest of viruses though. We just adapt.

[dustybiker]

Thanks for the mhg.

[Guy13]

The military viral attack exercise, immediate and long-term depopulation experiment, and Men into Communistic control of dictator or World Governing Board (Assemblage of Elites) has been fully processed grounded in Fear and a population wide sexual level craving for Safety (see toilet paper and any injection not to get sick). We will investigate these ideas.

[Guy13]

Is it okay if I do that Point by Point TomAviater. No geography…

[NathanDavis]

that's right... COVID, like many other flus will never be over

COVID as a virus will keep going and coming

but the pandemia is done and gone... it is no longer a massive and substantial threat to the healthcare system

[dustybiker]

I wouldn’t say gone. Though a simple virus like others, it’s a stronger virus than most and has the likelihood of mutating to defend itself.

[NathanDavis]

@dustybiker

[NathanDavis]

yes but... the USA approach to the pandemic was not always based on science but in the political protocols

so, what Biden says it is over, is the government approach to it... the epidemic will go on for a while

just like Texas stopped following such protocols months ago, regardless of what Biden says or doesn't say

[dustybiker]

Yes. He was saying “we stopped caring”, just flipped the switch back off. All that for nothing. Other countries did handle it much better.

[NathanDavis]

@dustybiker it's very close to election times in November...

so politicians do that... they do decide which things they will focus on as VERY important, and which ones have to go as NOT important at all

and once the elections are over, they might scramble it all up... for the next set of elections

[dustybiker]

I doubt he will run again. I think the US will have two new candidates. It definitely does have motive though.

[NathanDavis]

@dustybiker I certainly hope so...

that the US just can move on from Biden and Trump both... lmao

[dustybiker]

I hope so too. Both are just…. *sigh*

[OlderAndWiser]

Covid will probably be with us for a long time, but hopefully not in a virulent or lethal form.

[D_Bone_Steak]

I have a total of two people that I know get it... they were done with it after 3 days like a flu... I've had diarrhea from drinking longer than that. I really don't care anymore about anything COVID related. I think it was overdone for political reasons and it allowed Karens to bitch at me for not wearing my life-saving mask.

[NewsReader]

The "Pandemic" definition appears to be over. But I think it will take much longer to die out compared to the original breakout in 2002.

[ohsheeT]

That just means that they have something else coming up for us turn off 5G and it all goes away everybody will start feeling healthy again

[purplepoppy]

It's moved from being a pandemic disease to an endemic one. It's still going to kill but the big difference is apathy has set in.

[Twalli]

It's over when COVID-19 stops killing people. We see a decline in infection and death from infection, so that's probably what he means. Even if we don't undertake any specific actions regarding it, it will end. We've done the work, the inertia will end it.

[AviatorTom]

@Twalli COVID-19 will never end. It will be like the flu, which typically causes about 60 thousand deaths in the US each year.

[joeldalton]

Lmao. Every disease kills people.

[jshm2]

The pandemic waves are over according to those stats. But this doesn't mean covid is finished and demoted to a mere flu.

[AimeeKyle]

The pandemic has been over for quite some time. It is all about power and control now.

Fear is a great method of controlling the masses. They have been using the daily case numbers for far too long. Who cares who catches it?

All in all though, the power hungry saw how the masses cowered from the fear mongering pushed out over the past couple years. They don’t want to give that up…..

[Snakeyes7]

Covid will never go away and these stupid lockdown measures are bringing about consequences that we are only just beginning to see. I think Biden is saying he wants to end the measures for good, at least that's what I hope he is saying.

[monorprise]

Pandemic don't tend to really end, the virus goes around the world forever.

[jimmy2]

Well WtO been lead by China so what do you really expect from slow Joe who in the pocket of China. WTO last week said it was over but you clear shown not the case but millions now world wide is not using masks and going to huge crowds in sports and others things

[Juxtapose]

Covid is here to stay, the hysteria is what needs to go.

[Anonymous]

personally, the pandemic has been over for me since February.

[Likes2drive]

It’s far from over, it’s just not as bad as before

[joeldalton]

He says the pandemic is over but hasn't given up all of the 'emergency' powers.

[SaoirseS]

I still get COVID death cases. Fortunately, not nearly as many.

[DancingQueen16]

Well things have been a lot calmer sine the pandemic started in 2020 but I wouldn't necessarily say its "over" yet

[Anonymous]

It is not over here. More people are dying than ever before.

[Rangers]

I mean, there never was a pandemic to begin with, just a fake pandemic to destroy the economy and seize power

[Chthou95]

Covid has been irreverent for a while. Sometimes it pops its head out to say hey im still here and then hides into the abyss again