"Pandemic Study Reveals Likely Undercount of COVID-19 Deaths"

A new scientific paper suggests that COVID-19 deaths in the United States were likely undercounted during the first 30 months of the pandemic, with about 1.2 million excess deaths recorded, most of which were attributed to COVID. The study found evidence of the largest undercounts in the southern and western United States and counties outside of metropolitan areas, highlighting disparities in the decentralized death reporting system. Conversely, COVID fatalities reported in the northeastern United States surpassed estimates of naturally caused excess deaths, possibly due to misattributed deaths and preventive measures. The researcher emphasized the importance of accurate cause of death reporting for pandemic preparedness and saving lives.