Coronavirus far deadlier than Flu
(Final Regular Update: March 1, 2021) Roseville, CA – For months Covid-19 and Influenza comparisons were all the rage and rumor, facts be damned. An effective tool is to research the actual data from the CDC and Placer County Health.
Are the claims that COVID-19 is not much deadlier or different than the flu accurate? Let's see how Placer County COVID-19 death rate compares to national influenza average.
U.S. Influenza Burden 2018-2019
| Age Group | Illness | Deaths | Death Rate |
| 0- 17 | 11,296,414 | 477 | .0042% |
| 18- 49 | 11,913,203 | 2,450 | .0205% |
| 50- 64 | 9,238,038 | 5,676 | .0614% |
| 65+ | 3,073,227 | 25,555 | .8315% |
Placer County Flu Deaths 2018-19
| Age Group | Deaths |
| 0-17 | 0 |
| 18-49 | 1 |
| 50-64 | 3 |
| 65+ | 7 |
| Total | 11 |
Source: Placer County
Placer County COVID-19 Burden (Mar 2020 – March 2021)
| Age Group | Illness | Deaths | Death Rate vs U.S. Flu |
| 0- 17 | 2318 | 0 | 0% (lower) |
| 18- 49 | 10205 | 3 | .0294 (143%+ higher) |
| 50- 64 | 4190 | 20 | .4773% (777%+ higher) |
| 65+ | 3114 | 209 | 6.7116 (807%+ higher) |
| Total | 232 |
https://www.placer.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/46267/dashboard?bidId=#cases
While statistics don't account for all variables or provide a complete picture, the data publicly available indicates that, yes, in addition to being much more contagious, COVID-19 remains far deadlier than the flu with significantly more hospitalizations and greater impact on community health care systems.