Public Health Scotland reveals that Covid is no more deadly than seasonal flu
A study conducted from November 2023 to March 2024 used weekly lateral flow tests for 200,000 participants in England and Scotland. It revealed that the infection fatality rate (“IFR”) for those who tested positive for covid in Scotland is 0.08%.
The IFR for seasonal flu is between 0.03 and 0.1%.
New: Winter Coronavirus (covid-19) infection Study
Current Best Estimate IFR of ‘Covid-19’
The Winter Covid-19 Infection Study (“WCIS”) ran from November 2023 to March 2024, involving up to 200,000 participants across Scotland and England submitting results from 32,000 lateral flow tests carried out each week.
In this update, Scotland’s estimated Infection Fatality Risk (“IFR”) across the study period from 14 November 2023 to 3 March 2024. IFR represents an estimate of the risk of death in someone who has tested ‘positive for SARS-CoV-2’.
The Overall IFR is 0.0762%.
Meaning a 99.9238% survival rate over all age groups. Bear in mind the IFR of “influenza” is said to be anywhere from 0.03%-0.1%. So “covid” is within that range.
Mortality by Age
If you are aged between 3 to 34 years this corresponds to a 1 in 417,770 chance of mortality given a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
For those aged over 75 years mortality is 1 in 152.
Main Points
Overall assessment for the reporting period 8 July to 4 August 2024:
- Respiratory symptoms in the community measured via calls to NHS24 and attendance at GP consultations for influenza-like illness are normal.
- Swab positivity for SARS-CoV-2 decreased.
- There was a decreasing trend in the number of positive “covid-19 cases” reported per week throughout the four-week period.
- In the most recent week, there were 261 emergency hospital admissions with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of influenza, RSV, or “covid-19.” This was a decrease compared to the previous weeks.
- “Covid-19” hospital admission trend however has been decreasing during the reporting period, from 466 admissions in week 28 to 240 admissions in week 31
Spring “Vaccination” Rollout vs. “Covid”
As is very clear, immediately after the rollout of the new covid spring booster (April 1st 2024), self-reported PCR “covid cases” dramatically increased.
Emergency “covid” hospitalisations also increase.
Safe and effective?
Sources for this article include:
- Viral Respiratory Diseases (including Influenza and COVID-19) in Scotland Surveillance Report, Public Health Scotland, 8 August 2024
- Spring Covid-19 vaccination programme begins, Public Health Scotland, 9 April 2024