'Encouraging? (Eugenics) News From CDC: Most COVID Deaths Are "People Who Were Unwell To Begin With"

[appalachiablue]

- Min. mark 2:29. * CDC Director: "The overwhelming number of deaths, over 75%, occurred in people who had at least 4 comorbidities. So really these are people who were unwell to begin with and yes, really encouraging news in the context of Omicron."
Dr. Rochelle Walensky responds to criticisms on COVID-19 guidance as many Americans remain frustrated by guidance around isolation and their inability to access COVID tests. ABC, 'Good Morning America,' Jan. 7, 2022.
_____
- Daily Kos, Jan. 8, 2022. -Ed.

Don’t worry, unless your life already sucks, according to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, COVID19 now is no big deal and you aren’t likely to die. “It is ‘encouraging’ to @CDCDirector that chronically ill & disabled Americans are dying. It's no wonder that @CDCgov has consistently refused to issue guidance protecting the health & wellbeing of chronically ill Americans – our deaths clearly don't count,” Matthew Cortland observed on Twitter, “This is eugenicist.”

This pandemic began with reassurances that only people who have health problems are at risk, don’t worry you won’t die unless you are old or have chronic health issues, and not much has changed since then. People can live happily with 4 or more comorbidities and are not throw-away people. Over 100 million people in the U.S. have more than one chronic condition and at least 30 million have 5 or more.

Walensky spoke on Good Morning America in response to a question about a study that shows how well vaccines are working: “Isn’t it time to start rethinking how we’re living with this virus, that it’s potentially here to stay?”
> Walensky replied, "The overwhelming number of deaths, over 75%, occurred in people who had at least 4 comorbidities. So really these are people who were unwell to begin with, and yes, really encouraging news in the context of Omicron."

Link to tweet

Yes it is time to rethink how to live with COVID. * Where’s the CDC push for getting N95 masks to everyone? Improved access to testing that means no-cost at-home tests and ability to obtain them easily? OSHA and CDC should be demanding improvements to indoor air flow that protect everyone, such as workers and students. Let’s ensure vaccines are available worldwide to limit the chance of more variants emerging.
Walensky’s statement also glides over the truth that one’s outcome from a COVID19 infection isn’t binary recovered or dead. * Long covid is a serious health conflict that affects 10 to 30% of people infected and, as of last summer, was known to include over 200 symptoms. - Check out this hashtag: #MyDisabledLifeIsWorthy...

Link to tweet

- Read More + 65 Comments,
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/1/8/2073538/--Encouraging-eugenics-news-from-CDC-Most-COVID-deaths-are-people-who-were-unwell-to-begin-with

[Skittles]

1. GOOD LAWD

even if you are NOT among that group you could be, ANYTIME MOVING FORWARD

[appalachiablue]

2. Looking forward to the incoming director, new & improved..

Trainwreck from the start.

[Skittles]

3. I've heard that sentiment, usually from repukes

that's the already-ill who are dying, as if that makes it all....palatable

[appalachiablue]

4. Very GOP, elite, Ayn Rand Libertarian eugenicist,

I saw her espouse this on a TV show, how she didn't think we should have to assist disabled people, via taxes, etc. Nevermind that Rand herself used SS and Medicare when she was old and sick.

aka The Surplus Population

[tblue37]

42. Dan Patrick, Texas Lt. Governor, suggested old people should just volunteer to die so the economy

could be opened up.

[Skittles]

43. he is one fine nazi

[BeckyDem]

30. Exactly.

[RockRaven]

5. This is an unwise spin. Over 1/2 of Americans have a chronic condition, over 1/4 have multiple.

That's a lot of people who are potentially scared of Covid, because they believe themselves to be at higher risk than others, who will hear this as "don't worry everyone, it mostly just happens to them" and think they are the "them" whose deaths you are waving away.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Which is precisely the problem.

Am I the only person who thinks there is something fundamentally wrong with a species where more than half of them have a chronic condition? And over a quarter have multiple?

As wonderful as modern medicine is, it's keeping alive people who not so very long ago would not have survived. And a lot of them are reproducing. We are not doing ourselves a favor overall. Yeah, individually, I'm glad I'm alive, I'm glad lots of others I know are alive, but in the long run it may not be for the best.

[NullTuples]

21. I certainly hope you are the only one.

Perhaps part of the problem is not realizing that humanity is incredibly diverse, and that is a very good thing. And while you might decide that attributes x, y, and z define perfection, if you were to eliminate all other traits from our genome we may not be able to rapidly diversify the next time our environment drastically changes.

What if the ability to easily store fat becomes more important as food supplies dwindle? Sure, obesity is deemed a fault when food is readily available and people who find it easy to remain what is defined as healthily thin are deemed more desirable, but what if that situation was flipped on it's head?

Similar arguments have been made for skin color, certain neurodiversities such as autistics or ADHD, and so on. Even things like being smaller or shorter than average can be a trait that is deemed "less than" in one environments yet provides a survival edge in a different one (see: resource limited islands).

Do you ever stop to think *why* we've been taught to think not conforming to a standard of perfection is somehow morally or practically "wrong"?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

33. I am not talking about a mythical standard of perfection.

I'm talking about things like chronic diseases.

It is true that an ability to store fat efficiently was very good during the many thousands, tens of thousands, of years when food could be scarce or unreliably available. Which is why so many of us are overweight and obese. But that doesn't make obesity benign. Early on in the pandemic, every time I'd read of some young person dying of Covid, I'd Google the name, and if there was a picture, invariably they were extremely overweight, usually obese. This is not fat-shaming. It's stating a fact. In my local paper, when they mention without giving names, of those who have died from Covid, very often it notes that the person had co-morbidities, without specifying what they are.

Diversity and genetic variation are good things. But when they result in ill health then they are less than good.

[NullTuples]

39. You: "This is not fat-shaming. It's stating a fact."

Sometimes, if you feel the need to say it, there may be a hint of truth to it actually being the thing you feel the need to deny.
You are still acting as though it is to be treated as a moral failing.

[littlemissmartypants]

6. Walensky has been an unmitigated disaster through this entire ordeal.

She needs to resign. The more she opens her mouth, the deeper the hole that she's digging for herself gets.

[Irish_Dem]

9. Her original acceptance speech was a real turnoff.

Clearly unfit for the position.

[littlemissmartypants]

25. Oh, I missed that. Do you have any idea how I can find it?

I don't know why I want to except that I am a glutton for punishment. Although I am skeptical about their impactfulness, I am wondering what a petition requesting her resignation would look like. In other words, how much support for her resignation is out there.



❤

[Irish_Dem]

34. Perhaps you can google it.

This is my interpretation of the speech she gave, what she said out loud and also reading between the lines.

She made a point that she was very content as a (bigwig) Harvard medical school professor. Said she had never ever considered public service as an option for herself.

I got the feeling Biden had twisted her arm a bit and she had to be convinced to take the job. It sounded like she saw the new job as a step down, out of her lane, not what she wanted to do.

My read of it is that she is someone in over her head and never wanted the job in the first place.

[CentralMass]

23. I'm in the long line with you on that one

[Faux pas]

7. SHEESH

Since the first interview she did (on Rachel I think) I thought to myself, the woman is an IDIOT. Nothing has changed that opinion.

[YP_Yooper]

8. ...but this really is the truth

There is really good news about how this pandemic is transforming. We shouldn't chastise bringing good news to light.

COVID ICU/death rate really is directly related to your current health, and should be seen as a good message people need to take to heart.

Not to dismiss any death, but people need to know the risks so they can take some action, no? If above all, obesity is the number one way to prevent a bad outcome, shouldn't people know this?

To the OP, this isn't eugenics at all because frankly, there is NO way to mask, vacc, or social distance our way out of this. This virus infects wildlife and there is NO vaccine currently available to prevent infection, and so, will never go away by any actions we take. We need to know how to decrease our risks for everyone's benefit, but no one is escaping it.

[58Sunliner]

13. The previous administration created a deadly situation by promoting the very essence of eugenics.

All the while actively endangering lives by denying reality and impeding science, treatment, and support. How many fewer deaths do we now have thanks to vaccines? Who is dying now? Mostly the unvaccinated. Eugenics has nothing to do with masks. The biggest risk was a sociopath in control. And please see my post below.

[Jon King]

15. Exactly!!!!!!!!!

The greatest failure of the media and the government during this pandemic is not telling the truth....our obesity problem contributed to most of the deaths from Covid in people under the age of 65. End of story.

Bottom line is the vast majority of Americans who are obese could do something about it and should. That would be patriotic and help the entire country.

[BigmanPigman]

17. That's the first thing I thought of when I read the post.

Overweight people are much more likely to get ill in general. Bill Maher always mentions this but is always shot down for being honest.

[58Sunliner]

10. Just awful.

Link to tweet

[onecaliberal]

11. This has been the case all along. They're trying to sacrifice my husband.

If people don’t get where my rage comes from. It’s sickening and emotionally exhausting.

[BeckyDem]

28. +1

Wishing for the best of outcomes.

[Jon King]

14. She did not say anyything wrong at all.

News flash, kids have had their lives messed up big time by this pandemic. When we were kids we got to enjoy our lives. The bottom line is this is now a pandemic of the unwell and unvaxxed getting seriously ill. She simply told the dang truth.

I am not talking about people born with severe illness and disabilities....I am talking about the people that choose to put Coke into their babies sippy cups, families who never exercise, eat crap, and live completely unhealthy lifestyles.

So folks that put in the effort to take care of their health should sacrifice even more for those who choose to be unhealthy? Hell no. Enough is enough.

[herding cats]

19. I workout 5 days a week.

Eat extremely healthy, no processed foods, only whole grains, etc. I am thin and fit with a resting heart rate of 65-70, am fully vaxxed and have 2 comorbidities. My 3 year old granddaughter (too young to be vaxxed) also has one.

We didn't choose to be "unhealthy" and were not unhealthy. Yet Covid is a high risk for both of us, so excuse me for not celebrating the "mild" and highly infectious omicron.

The concept of disease prevention is to, you know, prevent it. Which is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is supposed to be about. Not making things seem fine for those at the least risk because we're all over this crap impacting our lives adversely and they need bodies keeping the economy flowing. This is a huge risk to people like myself for the sake of keeping the economy moving. Which is NOT supposed to be the focus of the CDC.

At the most gracious take this is a messaging fail, at the worst it's literally the CDC sticking their toe into the economic factor and turning their back on the most vulnerable among us to keep the economy flowing. Public health and deaths of the most vulnerable among us be damned.

Anywho, that's why doctors, researchers, epidemiologist, ED staff (who are extremely burned out and didn't need a free for all approach to further strain them) and the vast majority of the rest of medical field are miffed about this right now. It goes against all the tenets they hold most dear. The CDC is supposed to prevent disease, not let it spread and overload medical professionals, just because it's bad for the economy.

[appalachiablue]

32. +2

[Nululu]

16. Pregnant women also expendable?

[orangecrush]

18. Dear God

[chowder66]

20. I'm fucking mortified by some of the comments here.

There are numerous reasons beyond diet that affect people's weight. Some people gain weight because they are poor and don't have access to nutritious foods. Others get pregnant or go through menopause that fucks with their metabolism. There are those that gain weight because of accidents and injuries. There are children who at no fault of their own are obese or have underlying conditions.

For those that don't take care of themselves, maybe there are underlying mental reasons. PTSD, traumas of all sorts, abuse, etc.

There are people who were seemingly healthy that died. Explain that shit!

Maybe one day there will be a virus that takes out the fit and beautiful or joggers and tall people. JUST STOP with the goddamn judgement of people you have no idea about.

FUCK OFF to those that judge people who aren't in the image that pleases them, you fucking unsympathetic prigs.

[CentralMass]

24. ++

[appalachiablue]

31. The same, what I instantly thought. Dont the

judgers understand the very unhealthy, dominant 'food system' in this country? Cheap, mass produced 'food' filled with additives, high fructose corn syrup, mostly GMO and chemicals everywhere in this hyper consumerist society. (The harmful effects of smoking cigarettes (known since the 1940s at least) were covered up by the tobacco industry and advertisers for decades. The same with the oil and fossil fuel industry and climate change).

Many busy people eat on the run and can't afford the time and cost of a fitness center, gym membership or travel to a park like many professional workers. They also don't have the $ or health insurance for regular and preventive doctor visits.

I moved to a larger 'car suburb' where it's drive everywhere and few sidewalks, unlike the older city neighborhood I moved from. I put on pounds and didn't realize why for a while. No more.

People also have actual metabolic issues and psychological issues as you say.

Yes, too many in the US, mainly lower income live in 'food deserts' lacking access to affordable fresh produce, nuitritional food and healthier choices, (which often cost more, fact). Whole Foods doesn't exist in their vicinity. Even Americans with standard education don't know the issues, how damaging the corporatized high volume food economy really is, or follow the small number of books and films made on the subject, 'Fast Food Nation,' 'Forks Over Knives,' etc. in the last 20 years.

Despite many foodie media segments, is M$M really covering the issues and impacts of this system in terms of health? Michelle Obama did, her 'Let's Move' program inspired many people.

This also isn't Old Europe where healthy, fresh and home made food is still valued and the norm in many places, although the encroachment of McD's, KFC and other junk is rising there and all over.

There's more awareness in affluent urban and coastal areas- how to eat well, stay fit and the importance for health. Many parts of the US just aren't there yet sorry to say.

[onecaliberal]

35. 👆🏻👆🏻

[chowder66]

46. The absolute base-thinking here blows my mind.

[herding cats]

22. Here's the list of comorbidities she's speaking of here.

The odds are decently high someone you love falls on it. It's not what some think. It's not limited to just obese people or type 2 diabetes.

Summary of Conditions with Evidence
1. Comorbidities that are supported by at least one meta-analysis or systematic review or by review method defined in Scientific Evidence brief.

Cancer
Cerebrovascular disease
Chronic kidney disease*
Chronic lung diseases limited to:
Interstitial lung disease
Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary hypertension
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Bronchiectasis
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Chronic liver diseases limited to:
Cirrhosis
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease
Autoimmune hepatitis
Diabetes mellitus, type 1 and type 2*
Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies)
Mental health disorders limited to:
Mood disorders, including depression
Schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2)*
Pregnancy and recent pregnancy
Smoking, current and former
Tuberculosis
2. Comorbidities that are supported by at least one observational study (e.g., cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional):

These studies might include systematic review or meta-analysis that represents one condition in a larger group of conditions (for example, kidney transplant under the category of solid organ or blood stem cell transplantation).
Children with certain underlying conditions
Down syndrome
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
Neurologic conditions, including dementia
Overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m2, but

Sickle cell disease
Solid organ or blood stem cell transplantation
Substance use disorders
Use of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medications
3. Comorbidities that are supported by mostly case series, case reports, or, if other study design, the sample size is small (and no systematic review or meta-analysis available was available to review):

Defined as having an association in one or more case series studies. If there are cohort or case-control studies, the sample size was small. Conditions included might be less common.
Cystic fibrosis
Thalassemia
4. Comorbidities that are supported by mixed evidence:

Defined as having an association in at least one meta-analysis or systematic review and additional studies or reviews that reached different conclusions about risk associated with a medical condition.
Asthma
Hypertension, possibly*
Immune deficiencies (except people with moderate to severe immune compromise due to a medical condition or receipt of immunosuppressive medications or treatments)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-care/underlyingconditions.html

[YP_Yooper]

40. The point is not everything you list have equal weight in having adverse effects from COVID

and having the CDC point them out is not at all a bad thing.

[herding cats]

45. I didn't list them, the CDC did and with their own qualifiers.

Read my post and the link. I never said they were all equal. I said it's not just obese people and type 2 diabetics who are at high risk. The people I know (antidotal I know, my apologies) who died were neither.

High risk are transplant patients, type 1 diabetic and HIV positive people, etc. we're lying to ourselves when we convince ourselves it's people unlike those we know and love. That's the point I was here to make. People most of us know and love need us to be responsible adults and not kill them because we're tired of all of this mess and stress we've all been dealing with for the past 2 years.

I can't believe it's into our 3rd year of this and we're still having conversations such as this. Dying at risk people are bad. No qualifiers, it's a bad thing from a healthcare standing. The strain they put on the healthcare system each new wave is untenable.

Yes, all our lives are altered and that sucks. Yes, children need to be in school, which means the grownups need to be extra responsible so they can do so safely and not sicken the teachers and other staff. Our healthcare workers, especially our ED workers are overwhelmed again, they're exhausted, burned out and leaving the field at record rates. Oh, and our other emergency service workers, they're sick with Covid at rates to impact services now (again), too. But, we're talking tribal sides and supporting less than proactive guidance because of the mean people out there, who none of us like or agree with, are making all of this so much harder for all of us. Why? I just cannot understand this.

The people working on the front lines of this pandemic deserve more from us. We shouldn't accept sacrificing disease prevention just because it's hard. It's literally the CDC's job to say the raw and uncomfortable things about preventing disease. They're not our local GP. Our GP's job is translating the CDC's guidelines to fit each of us individually. Somehow the CDC is now involved in making the raw data seem acceptable to the each of us? Oh, and the new quarantine guidelines. They're obviously targeted at avoiding unwanted shutdowns, but they'll most likely lead to more illness and loss of feet on the ground of essential workers. Not to mention the added strain on our ED workers. None of this is making sense. Be firm, be honest and let the science speak for itself. Then let other people argue the political angles of it all.

There's no such thing as a "mild" death from Covid. Ask any ED worker. Well, not now. They're once again buried under patients because we cannot seem to learn from our previous mistakes.

[tirebiter]

26. I did not hear her say anyone was expendable

Either directly or implied. What item of protection is she withholding

[BeckyDem]

29. Think about it. Her wording could not be anymore important, agreed?

She is not implying but stating that omicron is direr in already health compromised people. That is not encouraging info for those people. She could have said, people who are already health compromised, which are many, will need more protection from exposure because their chances of death are greater.

[YP_Yooper]

41. Exactly

you'd think some here think she's acting like Goebbels or something. At no point did she say she was happy they were dying or nothing of a sort. They are happy COVID isn't killing the random healthy person on the street as it was, and that's a good direction we're headed.

[BeckyDem]

27. This is beyond worrisome.

Omicron is what will put these individuals over the edge, so how in the world do you read this any other way???

Additionally, the serious problems from omicron keep escalating, so why is she framing this as encouraging?

Link to tweet

[dalton99a]

36. "If they have other problems, that's what it really affects. That's it."

"It affects elderly people. Elderly people with heart problems and other problems. If they have other problems, that’s what it really affects. That’s it. You know, in some states, thousands of people, nobody young [dies]. Below the age of 18, like, nobody. They have a strong immune system, who knows. You look — take your hat off to the young, because they have a hell of an immune system. But it affects virtually nobody. It’s an amazing thing. By the way, open your schools, everybody. Open your schools."
- Donald Trump, Sept. 21, 2020

[appalachiablue]

37. That's it, tx. The old, useless eaters need to go!