If I remember correctly, and I will check YouTube, federal officials, including an African American lady whose name escapes me, said the cause of death would be listed as the virus even if it didn’t cause the person’s death. The person just had to have the virus.
I have maintained the country has to take the virus seriously and people who are most vulnerable must take extreme precautions. But the country must open up.
You have no idea if or when you will get the virus. You have no idea if or when you will be in a car accident. You can stay in shelter and not get the virus. You can stay home and guarantee you won’t be in a car accident. Yet you drive every day, sometimes multiple times a day, risking getting in a car accident, something you have absolutely no control over. Knowing tens of thousands die in car accidents every year and millions get hurt and require medical attention. That doesn’t stop you from driving.
You seem like a nice guy, but I would need to see physical, reputable evidence to consider that. When even the white house, who has the most to lose, is stating that it is likely higher and will grow, I would say there is some accuracy behind it.
The country is re-opening. Hell, most of it wasn't even closed, just modified in how they had to operate. However, there is no point in opening everything back at once to pre pandemic levels if it means we just have to shut down again or risk losing thousands more. Do it wisely and preserve the most lives. I can rebuild a business, I can't bring back the dead.
I don't drive daily, but regardless I still have a lot of control. I can decide when, where and how I drive, and most importantly, I can decide what I drive to greatly reduce my risk. If I drive a big truck or SUV, I am less likely to be hurt. Same with a higher saftey rating. If I drive in areas with lower speed limits, I am less likely to be in an accident. If I drive during the day, I have less chance of hitting wild life and being struck by a drunk driver. If I drive in areas more familiar, I have less chance of getting in a fatal car accident. If I lower my distractions, I have a lower chance of being in a car accident. If I keep a safe distance from the car in front of me, I have less opportunity to get in a wreck. If I go below the posted speed limits and legally stop at stop signs and traffic lights, I have less of a chance of getting into an accident. While my chances are rarely ever 100% non-existent, they can be greatly lowered by things in my control. It's just apple to oranges.
The other issue you seem to be missing is that 36,000 car deaths annually don't overwhelm our hospitals and aren't contagious. There is no car wreck disease. Nor are the required steps necessary that would be needed to treat a pandemic. Car wrecks aren't spread globally. 36,000 among 12 months would be roughly 3000 per month and around 100 per day. I would love for that to be lower and we take steps to do so. However, we have had several days of close to 3000 deaths from covid-19 alone for multiple weeks straight. In 3 months, we have almost 3 times the annual deaths of those caused by car accidents. And that is strongly believed to be underreported. If that carried on at the same pace for a year, we would have 12 times as many. Yet, you think they are comparable?