According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), very few people under age 19 have died of Covid. Of the total deaths attributed to Covid (700,951), 181 were age 0-4 and 406 were 5-18, for a total of 587 deaths in the 0-18 age category (or .08% of the total) (“Provisional Covid-19 Deaths,” data.cdc.gov, Oct. 6, 2021). CDC does not list comorbidities for children, so it is impossible to know whether they died of Covid alone or of cancer, heart or kidney disease, etc., exacerbated by Covid, but of the pediatric deaths by influenza in the 2019-2020 season, 43% had a pre-existing medical condition (“2019-20 Season’s Pediatric Flu Deaths,” CDC, Aug. 21, 2020). More than half of the deaths attributed to Covid by the CDC were of the elderly 75 and over (378,496 or 54%). The U.S. life expectancy is about 78 years old.
(Friday Church News Notes, October 15, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)