> the old and sick who likely only had a few years anyway. If we measured the toll in disability-adjusted life years instead, the comparison would be quite different.

It's a hell of a thing for someone who only had a few short and precious years left, to have those ripped away from them as well.

I'm hard of hearing - people joke that there's no point in wearing ear protection since I'm already deaf. No, the opposite. Because I have only a little hearing left, it's so much more precious to me than normal hearing is for most people. I protect it jealously.

I get your point, but I can't forget the human part of that equation.