One Million Lost Due to COVID-19
We recently passed a grim milestone: 1 million deaths from COVID-19. In this newsletter we cover more about the pandemic’s impact, the baby formula shortage, abortion legislation and a (possible) fountain of youth. For our full weekly health newsletter, subscribe for free at mindfulobserver.com.
By the Numbers
- 3,400: New research from Australia could lead to more screening and interventions for sudden infant death syndrome, which causes 3,400 infant deaths annually. The research identifies a potential biomarker for SIDS for the first time in decades, a cause for optimism for both researchers and families.
The News
- One Million
COVID-19 has claimed more than 1 million lives in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. It’s an unfathomable number of lives lost, and one that does not encapsulate the growing number of Americans who are grieving or facing uncertain futures.
Experts estimate that for every one person who has died of COVID-19, nine close family or friends have been left behind. James Summers, a 37-year-old man who died last October, had nine children who were left reeling from his death. Summers, who was Black, represents a demographic that has been devastated by this pandemic: In the U.S., Black and Latino people have died from COVID-19 at younger ages than white individuals, and lower-income communities have been hardest hit.
Humans are ill-equipped to process large numbers, never mind large-scale suffering. Our desensitization to the grim milestones of the pandemic not only inhibits our response to the virus, but it also alienates those whose lives have been unmoored by the death of a loved one.
Checking In
There’s a mantra that we sometimes rely on when faced with sad or difficult news: “This is how it is, right now.” It offers a message of acceptance and impermanence, and sometimes it’s the reminder we need — especially in the midst of grief and challenging times. — Dr. Matt Mullane
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By Claire Cleveland, science writer
Edited by Shannon Mullane, senior editor
