To the editor:

Scary headlines and daily reporting of cases, hospitalizations and deaths has caused much fear and panic about COVID.

I do not discount the fact that COVID is real, widespread and has killed or seriously injured millions all over the world. For the last 18 months, though, we have been misled into thinking that we should maintain harsh, restrictive measures and get everyone vaccinated so we can eliminate this virus. No, we cannot hide from COVID and must learn to live with it, taking protective measures we individually decide are appropriate in light of all the evidence.

For example, about 76 percent of the population of San Francisco is now vaccinated yet it experienced a surge in hospital cases on par with last winter’s spike before the vaccines began. Countless other data points also show the virus strikes just about everywhere. Iceland locked down the country and nearly everyone is vaccinated, yet the country now experiences a surge.

Understanding the risk of dying from COVID is addressed by two questions. First, how old are you? According to CDC data, more than 80 percent of deaths from COVID occurred in people over age 65. Second, how many underlying chronic conditions do you have? Again, CDC data shows 64 percent of deaths had six or more conditions, 96 percent had two or more and less than 1 percent had no chronic conditions. We know who is the most vulnerable from COVID.

Another way to understand COVID risk is by comparison to other hazards we face in our daily lives. This was examined in great detail in a paper published by John P. A. Ioannidis titled “Infection fatality rate of COVID-19 in community dwelling populations with emphasis on the elderly: An overview.” The 2020-2021 mortality data shows those aged 0 to 19 have a COVID death risk similar to dying from a sharp object; for ages 20 to 29 the death rate is similar to sun stroke; for 30 to 39 it is choking on food; for 40 to 49 it is drowning; for 50 to 59 it is pedestrian accident; and 60 to 69 it is dying in a car crash.

Yet we accept these other risks without resorting to massive societal upheaval, which lead to substantial problems of their own. Another article in the UK Daily Mail reminds us that heart disease, dementia and cancer kill four times as many lives in an average week while flu and pneumonia are just as deadly as COVID.

Don Stuart, Nashville