Greater Transparency Needed on COVID Deaths
In a recent parliamentary contribution, Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur called for greater transparency surrounding the comorbidity and pre-existing health conditions of Victorians who are reportedly dying from COVID-19.
The coronavirus pandemic has tragically claimed the lives of over 520 Victorians.
In her Adjournment Debate, Mrs McArthur said, “Every one of these lives lost is devastating for a circle of family and friends and is deeply regrettable.”
The Chief Medical Officer, Brett Sutton clarified in a press conference that all individuals who die with COVID-19, are included in the statistics of having died of COVID-19, irrespective of other potential causes of death.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regularly release in-depth data and analyses for COVID-19 infections and deaths at the national, state, and county level.
Today the CDC revealed that for just 6% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States, the virus was the only cause mentioned. For deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per death.
The most recent statistics on comorbidity released by the ABS were in June, prior to Victoria’s second wave, which revealed that “Almost all deaths due to COVID-19 have other conditions listed on the death certificate.”
Mrs McArthur told the Parliament, “In order to make rational, evidence-based policy decisions, there must be absolute transparency of all information and statistics relating to the consequences of the virus. This includes extenuating circumstances of death.”
“While it is an uncomfortable discussion, and may even be dismissed as inconsiderate; it is integral to understand what pre-existing conditions a patient may have been afflicted with prior to contracting the virus. It is important information and vital to ensure properly informed policy and regulatory decisions.”
“If all deaths are recorded as COVID, the patients who rejected resuscitation due to written ‘living will’ instructions, should also be noted.”
“It is not sufficient to be told by the Premier that this young person or that aged-care resident died of them virus’ without knowing that there were other issues present that caused the patient to be especially vulnerable. People of all ages can be healthy or unhealthy.”
“The government should have this information; if they don’t have it, they should get it and they should release the information by way of anonymous detail to the public.”
Mrs McArthur later added, “Extreme measures have been put in place to purportedly contain the virus. The public have a right to know all the facts and the justification for arbitrary rules surrounding all measures that are more severe than anywhere else in the world.”
“If the United States can obtain this data and release it to the public, there’s no reason why Victoria’s health department can’t and shouldn’t do the same.”
“Victorians need clarity and facts, not fearmongering that makes good headlines.”
31 August 2020