Age and Covid-19

[Rocketvapor]

The medical community has poor results saving Flu victims.
Think they will do better with COVID victims?

 

[Steve Ladino]

Over 60, yes. Also, smoking is much more prevalent there. Any underlying health issues also has a substantial negative effect - diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease are especially harmful to your likelihood of survival. It is much the same here in South Korea, although there has not been a shortage of ventilators here like there is in Italy. It sounds to me like the doctors are doing basic triage in Italy - you treat those most likely to survive. If those less likely to survive do, indeed, survive, that's great. If not, oh well.

I shouldn't talk; I'm 64, diabetic, hypertensive, and have a (relatively minor) heart issue. COVID-19 will quite probably kill me if I catch it. I'm sure glad that I quit smoking in 1976, though!

I think many areas are being hammered with the bad bad news and not enough of the optimistic side of this flu among us. Prayer is your doorway to divine prevention, I recommend it as the most powerful medicine. Its free, it works !

 

[SGK]

Looking forward to hearing about you helping out at the coal face with those in hospital with COVID. Doctors need all the invincible help they can get.

 

[Laurie]

In Italy it has come down to the number of breathing machines available. If you are over 60 you typically don't get one, they are saved for those that are more likely to survive, younger folks. Our country is also grossly short on breathing machines.

It's reported in our (UK) Media that triage has been in force for some time in Lombardy (the worst affected Italian region) hospitals as intensive care facilities / ventilator machine supply have been overwhelmed. In such triage, Italian doctors now admit that many elderly victims aren't being given the treatment that could save them.

 

[Mulligan]

It's reported in our (UK) Media that triage has been in force for some time in Lombardy (the worst affected Italian region) hospitals as intensive care facilities / ventilator machine supply have been overwhelmed. In such triage, Italian doctors now admit that many elderly victims aren't being given the treatment that could save them.

Damn

CW

 

[SGK]

Yup. For a couple of weeks now.

And a good number of doctors in Italy are dying.

The expected mortality rates in Dr Neil Ferguson's research, posted in other threads here, are specifically noted to be pre the impact of an overwhelmed healthcare system. Run out of IC beds, ventilators and doctors and the numbers rocket.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Yes those of us in our 70's are high risk........as we are in pretty much every other illness. I wonder what the mortality rate is in our age group as related to smokers vs non smokers. I wonder why we don't hear any statistics on that.

 

[Mulligan]

Yes those of us in our 70's are high risk........as we are in pretty much every other illness. I wonder what the mortality rate is in our age group as related to smokers vs non smokers. I wonder why we don't hear any statistics on that.

I would bet an active non-smoking 70 year old would be far ahead of a sedentary smoking 50 year old.
CW

 

[Laurie]

I wonder what the mortality rate is in our age group as related to smokers vs non smokers. I wonder why we don't hear any statistics on that.

That's been commented on quite a bit re Italy as the smoker percentage is allegedly high in that country compared to the western average. Also, the worst affected region, Lombardy is Italy's manufacturing / heavy industry centre and sees relatively high air pollution. Both factors also apply to Wuhan province in China.

 

[JEFFPPC]

I would bet an active non-smoking 70 year old would be far ahead of a sedentary smoking 50 year old.
CW

Exactly what I am counting on!

 

[dolek]

I would bet an active non-smoking 70 year old would be far ahead of a sedentary smoking 50 year old.
CW

Hard to tell if they both die.