I don't care how many children are said to have died of a cold. The truth is zero. They may have died of lack of nutrition, or medical mitigations, or not enough sunshine and fresh air and water and healthy salt, but no kids die from having a cold. Ever. Zero. You can not exaggerate zero.
I have absolutely no dispute with your article, your analysis, or the work of Jessica Hockett, who aside from being someone I am acquainted with, is pretty far from "an ordinary person." She is a data analysis maven, and (in full disclosure) a PhD as well. All that preface aside, even if the number was 2,300 pediatric deaths from covid, over the course of the pandemic, that number *still* does not justify closing schools. Something like 7K children between 1 and 14 die every year from the Top 10 causes of death in those age groups. Now, to be clear, and to prevent anyone jumping to a conclusion and pulling a hamstring, I am not saying deaths, of any cause, are "OKAY" or any such thing. However, again, the number cited by the NYT should not justify school closures, even if it were the correct number. At least, that is my current position. Happy to be convinced otherwise.
They have wanted to make this about the children since the beginning of the pandemic. A couple of additions though, it should be made clear how many of these children have other pre existing conditions and also compare these childhood deaths to all other causes of children’s deaths and they should similarly be counted cumulatively.
I don't care how many children are said to have died of a cold. The truth is zero. They may have died of lack of nutrition, or medical mitigations, or not enough sunshine and fresh air and water and healthy salt, but no kids die from having a cold. Ever. Zero. You can not exaggerate zero.
I have absolutely no dispute with your article, your analysis, or the work of Jessica Hockett, who aside from being someone I am acquainted with, is pretty far from "an ordinary person." She is a data analysis maven, and (in full disclosure) a PhD as well. All that preface aside, even if the number was 2,300 pediatric deaths from covid, over the course of the pandemic, that number *still* does not justify closing schools. Something like 7K children between 1 and 14 die every year from the Top 10 causes of death in those age groups. Now, to be clear, and to prevent anyone jumping to a conclusion and pulling a hamstring, I am not saying deaths, of any cause, are "OKAY" or any such thing. However, again, the number cited by the NYT should not justify school closures, even if it were the correct number. At least, that is my current position. Happy to be convinced otherwise.
They have wanted to make this about the children since the beginning of the pandemic. A couple of additions though, it should be made clear how many of these children have other pre existing conditions and also compare these childhood deaths to all other causes of children’s deaths and they should similarly be counted cumulatively.
The fact that the NYT lies to push the narrative is nothing new. Keep shedding light on their lies and misinformation A/K/A fake news.