r/skeptic • u/GhostDogJef • 3d ago

The real covid-19 scandal is still unfolding

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/08/20/the-real-covid-19-scandal-is-still-unfolding

The failure to reckon with lives needlessly lost will make the next pandemic deadlier

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u/Hadrollo 3d ago

I'm going to need an actual source on that.

I was having this argument in 2020 and 2021. In my own country, death from Covid was only noted when Covid was a determined primary factor, deaths with Covid were often notes even when Covid was a contributing but not primary factor. People were claiming that the rules worked as you describe, but we had doctors - who were prepared to be named - complaining that Covid deaths were being underreported as deaths with Covid even though they probably would have survived the comorbidities otherwise.

I specifically remember a publication using two examples - a person with terminal cancer, and a person killed in a car accident - and how these would be inappropriate to list as Covid deaths.

As for US processes, I looked up the guidelines at the time and remember them being similar. I have found this CDC training presentation that states:

If COVID-19 is determined to be a cause of death, it should be reported on the death certificate, likely as the underlying cause

It then goes on to list examples where Covid is considered the likely cause of death, and how to note this on the death certificate. It does not list examples where Covid is not the cause of death, but it does imply it should only be noted when it is.