New findings that the number of deaths in Massachusetts fell within a pre-pandemic normal range are notable because they were recorded during a period of high COVID spread due to omicron. Read our interview with the study's lead author:
Respiratory Therapist Nirali Patel works with a COVID-19 patient in the ICU at Rush University Medial Center on Jan. 31, 2022, in Chicago, Illinois.
"And that's really important because, in every other major COVID wave we've had, we've always seen not just COVID deaths go up, but [deaths from all causes] go up. We've seen incredible deviations from normal during all of our major waves. "Then, when they did get an infection in the spring, the immunity protected them against, at least, dying."
"So, what you have is a healthier survivor cohort, meaning the population that entered the spring wave was not only smaller but also healthier than the one that entered the winter wave. "If there's not excess mortality during a period of time, it's a piece of good news. But then you want to say: ‘Well, wait a minute, are there other forms of suffering that are happening? What are the hospitalizations? Are people missing working or school because of the disease? Are there other longer-term consequences, like long COVID?' It just makes you ask deeper questions.