September 2, 2020

Fact of the Day: COVID-19 Mortality Rates

Among the United States and its peer countries in Europe, deaths from COVID-19 began to decline in April and May as the effects of new social distancing rules started to rein in the spread of the virus. In Europe, that decline continued through July until deaths hit nearly zero.

In the US, however, President Trump urged states to re-open their economies in mid-May, and by mid-June the decline in mortality stopped. Mortality increased in July and August, and then began to decline very slowly in mid-August. Our death rate is currently 2.7 per million, compared to an average of about 0.1 per million throughout Europe. If the US had followed Europe’s lead, our total COVID-19 deaths would be about 30 per day instead of the 1,000 per day we’re currently experiencing.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

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