COVID-19 deaths much higher in Washington’s Republican counties, analysis shows (Colville: how much, versus)

[CrazyDonkey]

https://kuow.org/stories/covid-19-de...analysis-shows

As of this week, the death rate for people with COVID-19 was 44.4 per 100,000 in counties that voted over 60 percent Republican in statewide races in 2020. By contrast, counties that went for Democratic statewide candidates by 60 percent or more have a death rate of just 6.8 per 100,000.

The statewide average is 17.8 deaths per 100,000.

People are dying from Covid-19 in Republican-dominated counties at a rate that is, not 2, 3, 4, or 5 times higher, but 6.5 times higher than in Democratic-dominated counties.

The analysis of Washington COVID-related deaths was prepared by legislative caucus staff and shared with the public radio Northwest News Network. It looked at the period from July 4 to September 27 — generally defined as the timeframe when the so-called “fifth wave” of COVID-19 struck, leading to a record number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

The highest death rates were generally concentrated in the 15 most Republican counties in the state, including Cowlitz County which reported 77.7 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000. It also includes Stevens County which has the lowest 12-and-up vaccination rate in Washington and a death rate of 64.6 per 100,000.

People in Cowlitz County, in which 62.57% voted for the Republican candidate for Governor, are dying from Covid-19 at a rate that is 11.2 times higher than in Democratic-dominated counties.

Unvaccinated people made up 79.2 percent of the COVID-19 deaths in Washington from February 1 to August 17.

Statewide, the unvaccinated are dying from Covid-19 at a rate that is 3.8 times higher than the vaccinated, including those who have received only one dose. This shows that unvaccinated rates are, by themselves, not wholly responsible for the higher Covid-19 death-rates in Republican-dominated counties, but that defiance of mask and social distancing mandates, leading to increased super-spreader events, is an additional causative factor.

Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the vaccines have also dominated conservative media and some conservative politicians have amplified those messages.

But as the death toll rises, there’s anecdotal evidence that some people who were previously vaccine resistant may be changing their minds.

“They’re looking at all that cumulative information and saying, ‘you know, now’s the time to get vaccinated,’” said [Matt Schanz of the Northeast Tri County Health District which serves Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties], who’s based in Colville, Washington.

[Diana Holbrook]

If you're trying to confuse people, don't talk in actual numbers, talk in trends, rates and percentages, right Donkey? Especially when comparing rural counties to more populated ones.

A few deaths in the redder, less populated counties are going to count a lot higher as a rate or a percentage of the population than many more deaths in the most populous (and blue) counties, aren't they?


Makes sense.

Doesn't help anyone, but it makes sense.




Edited to add a table I quickly copy pasted.

Counties, color coded by 2020 politics, red or blue.
Ranked by population on the left
Ranked by COVID deaths on the right (per the DOH)



What does it really tell you?

It tells me that with some outliers excepted, COVID deaths pretty closely follow population.

And it doesn't show much of a correlation by politics.

[WestGuest]

Is that a problem?

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by WestGuest

Is that a problem?

Nice.

[Diana Holbrook]

Adding up the deaths in Red versus Blue counties...

I'm liking the odds in Red counties better than blue! You're 1.5 times more likely to die from COVID in a blue county than a red one in Washington.

Now... I think this is a function of lower population density, not politics, but I didn't start this red versus blue comparison thing.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

Adding up the deaths in Red versus Blue counties...

I'm liking the odds in Red counties better than blue! You're 1.5 times more likely to die from COVID in a blue county than a red one in Washington.

Now... I think this is a function of lower population density, not politics, but I didn't start this red versus blue comparison thing.

Nope. You sure didn't. But what else would you expect? And what else does Donkey Crazy expect?

Can't get over their partisan position. I seriously just respond to this to be as annoying as the highly politicized post is to me.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

If you're trying to confuse people, don't talk in actual numbers, talk in trends, rates and percentages, right Donkey? Especially when comparing rural counties to more populated ones.

A few deaths in the redder, less populated counties are going to count a lot higher as a rate or a percentage of the population than many more deaths in the most populous (and blue) counties, aren't they?

They compared all Republican-dominated counties with all Democratic-dominated countries on a per capita basis, and the difference is stark - not 2, 3, 4, or 5 times higher, but 6.5 times higher than in Democratic-dominated counties. That is 13 out of 15, on a per capita basis, which is the only way to compare populations of dissimilar size.

Just acknowledge that if you are unvaccinated, your chances of dying from Covid-19 are much, much higher compared to someone who is vaccinated.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

Just acknowledge that if you are unvaccinated, your chances of dying from Covid-19 are much, much higher compared to someone who is vaccinated.

OK I'll acknowledge that. That might actually be a very helpful argument to make.

It's a lot more helpful and makes a lot more sense than this political crap.

[MechAndy]

Regardless of any politics it does seem safer to be in less populated areas.
Those numbers look very plain and easy to understand.
Toss in 2 possibly 3 vaccinations in my arm and it seems really safe.
Safe enough for me anyway.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

Regardless of any politics it does seem safer to be in less populated areas.
Those numbers look very plain and easy to understand.
Toss in 2 possibly 3 vaccinations in my arm and it seems really safe.
Safe enough for me anyway.

Agreed. Me too :-)