So the current new panic mongering is over how the Covid-19 virus has decreased life expectancy by 1.5 years.
The first year of the pandemic reduced Americans’ life expectancy at birth by 1.5 years, to 77.3 years. That erased the country’s gains since 2003. It was the largest annual decline since 1943, in the middle of World War II. Goldman said that it was the second largest decline since the 1918 influenza pandemic, which is believed to have killed some 50 million people worldwide.
Omg! The second largest decline since the Spanish Flu! It must be equivalent right?
Wrong.
The life expectancy drop from the 1918 virus was 6.8 years (54-47.2). Furthermore the 1.5 year drop is only a 1.9% drop in life expectancy. Meanwhile the Spanish flu drop was a 12.6% drop in life expectancy.
This again is in track with the 1:5 ratio of deaths/population comparing Covid to the Spanish Flu. The ratio difference here being 1:6.6
US life expectancy has declined consistently since 2014. This past year isn't an aberration, it's a continuation of the trend.