Understanding the Difference Between COVID-19 Population Statistic and Personal Risk.

The case fatality rate of COVID-19 is a statistic, not a personal probability of dying from the virus. The rate is calculated by dividing the number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths by the number of confirmed cases. Personal risk varies over time, place, and between individuals, and depends on intricate physical and biological processes. Health risks also vary among demographic groups. Therefore, the case fatality rate may not be a great estimate of personal risk for every person across all demographic groups.