‘With’ or ‘Because of’ Covid-19 Hospitalizations

The ’with’ or ‘because of’ Covid hospitalization argument is intentionally politicizing data.

1- If someone comes in with a pulmonary embolism two weeks after Covid, it’s caused by Covid. If an elderly person falls due to Covid related delirium and breaks a hip, it’s because of Covid. Or heart failure six weeks after Covid, it was caused by Covid. Or a previously stable chronic condition resulting in deterioration after Covid, it was because of Covid. None of these would have occurred had it not been due to an infection.

2- Previously hospitalization for Covid was often due to requiring respiratory support. With vaccines, the clinical presentation is changing and we are seeing hospitalization for reasons other than respiratory support, but still very much caused by Covid.

3- Even if it is completely incidental Covid (very very small %), it is still being sick enough to require hospitalization and using up hospital capacity that we have maxed out.

4- Being hospitalized for another illness and also having Covid puts people at a higher risk of severe illness due to Covid.