Based on the very latest statistics (1 Jan, 2021), CA has the states’ fourth highest COVID-19 per capita hospitalization rate. More ominous, we have the HIGHEST percent of COVID-19 patients occupying our hospitals (32.9%).
But wait. For months, CA has had among the most stringent lockdown regulations in America. Shouldn’t that Draconian lockdown have resulted in much lower COVID-19 figures for CA compared to the other less restrictive states?
Shouldn’t frequently criticized Florida, which has far fewer mandates, have had worse results? FL has a much older, more vulnerable population than CA — 15% older, on average. FL has a significantly higher population density than CA — 51% denser.
Plus CA people are healthier than Floridians. CA has VERY low obesity and smoking rates. California is the fourth best state on obesity (Florida is 17th), and second best state on smoking (Florida is 20th).
Yet in spite of all these CA advantages, the Golden State per capita COVID-19 hospitalization rate is 81% higher than FL. In CA, the percent of hospital beds now occupied by COVID-19 patients is 2.4 times higher than FL.
Remember, the lockdown states are supposedly driven by science. The less restrictive states (mostly GOP controlled) are supposedly ignoring the scientific facts, needlessly killing people. It seems to me that progressive pundits — champions of (PC) science — got it backwards.
IMHO, the leaders of the oppressive states are driven by the overwhelming compunction to be in charge — to solve the COVID-19 with endless (and ever more harsh) lockdown restrictions. Especially so in Democrat states where the governors assign themselves unlimited dictatorial powers.
EXHIBIT A: CA Governor Gavin Newsom.
Der Kalifornien Führer