Boston, MA – A groundbreaking study led by researchers at Boston University School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania has uncovered compelling evidence linking excess mortality rates attributed to natural causes with uncounted COVID-19 deaths in the United States. Contradicting previous claims that these deaths were due to factors like COVID-19 vaccinations or shelter-in-place policies, the study sheds new light on the true impact of the pandemic on mortality rates.
Official federal counts indicate that nearly 1,170,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19. However, multiple excess mortality studies suggest that these numbers significantly underestimate the true toll of the virus. While excess mortality estimates deaths that likely would not have occurred under normal circumstances, questions remained about whether COVID-19 itself contributed to these additional fatalities or if other factors were at play, such as disruptions in healthcare or socioeconomic challenges.
Published in the journal PNAS, the study compared reported COVID-19 deaths to excess deaths from non-COVID natural causes like chronic illnesses. The analysis revealed that surges in non-COVID excess deaths coincided with or preceded increases in reported COVID-19 deaths in most US counties. By focusing on excess deaths from natural causes specifically, the researchers were able to more accurately attribute deaths to COVID-19, excluding other factors that could have led to mortality.
Lead author Dr. Andrew Stokes noted, “Our findings indicate that many COVID-19 deaths were not accounted for during the pandemic, and this undercount persisted beyond the initial phase.” The study’s temporal correlation between reported COVID-19 deaths and excess deaths from non-COVID natural causes points to a significant number of unrecognized COVID-19 deaths, likely missed due to low community awareness and insufficient testing.
According to study co-author Eugenio Paglino, the absence of a pattern showing healthcare interruptions leading to non-COVID excess deaths refutes claims suggesting these deaths were a result of delayed care. The study’s findings also debunk political narratives and public opinions attributing pandemic mortality to COVID-19 vaccinations or lockdown measures.
This groundbreaking research provides crucial insights into the true impact of COVID-19 on mortality rates, emphasizing the need for accurate data collection and analysis to understand the full scope of the pandemic’s toll. The study’s findings offer a compelling argument supporting the importance of continued vigilance and public health measures in combating the ongoing effects of the virus.