In the United States, it is reported that COVID-19 has infected 435,128 people with a fatality rate of 3.4%. In South Korea, it is reported that COVID-19 has infected 10,423 people with a fatality rate of 1.9%. You may be wondering, “why is there such a large discrepancy between these countries’ statistics?” Fortunately, these “statistics” are significantly flawed, as is the case in many other countries.

Flaw #1: Nearly all testing and reporting is being conducted on patients whose symptoms are so severe they require hospitalization. Most countries are not testing patients with mild symptoms, and if they are, it is few and far between. By not testing mild cases, the data is being skewed to make the fatality rate appear significantly worse than it is.

Flaw #2: As the US begins to ramp-up wide-spread testing, such is the case in New York state, the number of confirmed cases is inherently rising, causing the number of confirmed infections to rise at a much more alarming rate than previously reported. This increase in testing volume is skewing the statistics, making the virus appear as though it is spreading much faster than it truly is.

Overall, the lack of testing of cases involving patients with mild symptoms and the recent testing expansion makes COVID-19 look significantly worse than the reality of the virus. What can be deduced is that the confirmed fatality and spread rates are significantly higher than the actual fatality and spread rates.

Here is a quick statistics breakdown of the common flu and other actual past pandemics:

The problem is that every country’s “statistics” minus, perhaps, South Korea’s, aren’t really statistics. They are just propaganda and would never pass muster in a scientific study. South Korea is the only country whose data is even remotely accurate; they conducted wide-spread testing from the start and included cases that covered mild to severe. The inaccurate data, such as that in the U.S., is frightening a lot of people, and the government is getting away with a lot of power-grabbing laws that wouldn’t usually receive overwhelming support outside of a crisis because of all the hysteria. These power grabbing laws include:

I’m happy for people to stay home and support those who choose to do so. I’m unhappy when the government is forcibly closing private businesses, jailing those who choose to leave their homes, and compels more reliance on the government through pro-socialist policies.

Long term health effects of COVID-19 may be an issue, as is the case with any new technology, pathogen, or habit. I agree that it’s better to err on the side of caution for those who have preexisting conditions and/or are pregnant. More data and more testing is needed to discover the full extent of its effects.

Regardless, the numbers, scientifically, don’t look as bad as the hype, and yet this widespread hysteria is driving destructive changes in countries around the world. The precedents being set on bad statistics will have a lasting effect on the future when more socialist-leaning politicians are in power.

If YOU are worried about the coronavirus, YOU should self isolate.

Leave the rest of us alone. pic.twitter.com/9DUzsdtnCy — Roger Ver (@rogerkver) March 29, 2020

The stimulus package that just passed is the biggest wealth transfer from common folks to the super-rich (Wall Street and bankers) in the history of mankind.



Done in the name of a virus with $1200 checks as the cheese in the trap.



This will be obvious in short order. — Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 29, 2020

If you don't know who is paying for the massive #stimulusbill and bailouts, it's you. There's no free lunch. Everyone who saves or earns dollars will have their purchasing power stolen to fund an unprecedented increase in government spending. If you don't want to pay, buy #gold. — Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) March 27, 2020

Government may be the only thing that can fail miserably and then get bigger as a result. — Andrew Yang🧢 (@AndrewYang) March 26, 2020

Disclaimer: And, of course, I haven’t read all the data or info on the situation and the situation is still developing so the above are my thoughts at this given time, but I’m open to other perspectives and additional information. What are your thoughts on the situation?