SELLING FEAR: COVID KILLS NINE NUNS

Forget about what’s going on in Yemen. Who cares about Tigray? Are the French finally leaving Mali after they tried to regain control over their colony?
No, a big story in last week’s New York Times was a convent near Albany, N.Y., which announced last week that a COVID outbreak in December resulted in some 47 residents coming down with the virus, including nine nuns who died. 
The convent said 21 employees tested positive for the virus and recovered. Those who died were between the ages of 84 and 98 years old. 
“We have lost nine beloved sisters – wonderful, dedicated members of our religious community,” Sister Joan Mary Hartigan, the director of the convent said.
TRENDPOST: Once again, to young people, this is an “old person’s” disease. 
Why would this be a major story? Did the victims have pre-existing chronic conditions? Was the 98-year-old on her way to her 100th birthday party, and the virus struck as she was waltzing out the door?
As evidenced by the Times reporting, this is a “sell fear” story. Again, as evidenced by the numbers across the globe, age has proven to play a major role in the death rate during the COVID outbreak. 
There is no denying this virus is contagious and scary for many people, but only a small percentage of the population is at risk. We should protect them, and the rest of the population should be permitted to live freely. The recovery rate among 1- to-20-year-olds is 99.997 percent and, on average, the virus recovery rate is 99.7 percent.
The Heritage Foundation reported that through 23 December, 92 percent of those who died from COVID were over 55. (The CDC said those above the age of 85 were at greatest risk if they contracted the virus.)