They're using it as a crude barometer for just how bad it is. We know about how many people die on average for any given period. We expect it to be in a range. When it is wildly outside of that range, then there's something going on.
Of course, even if it were free, it's essentially pointless because unless you live in China and they actually remain zero covid forever, you're going to repeatedly get coronavirus anyway cause it ain't ever going anywhere.
Vaccination is not even in the same league, it's an obvious easy win that gives you a far better chance when (not if) you get it.
I have no idea why anyone would find it uncomfortable in any way.
And yes, you might corona-ize me. But I'm more afraid that the antimasker idiot will do that than someone wearing a mask.
Your first sentence makes me think you're serious. You don't see how a sea of masked faces could be seen as dystopian? Or that it's a sign that "you're not safe," and people want to feel safe?
Not in the slightest, any more than a sea of drivers in seatbelts would feel dystopian or that I'm not safe. (Or a bunch of people in snow gear, if you want a similar aesthetic.) I don't see any dystopian vibe at all, and fail to understand why wearing an article of clothing is dystopian. Do you feel the same way about pants? I think just as many people feel safer with everyone masked up, we've just been less silent throughout the pandemic.
I would feel safer, and there would be less pressure on my healthcare service if you fall over.
If you don't, you're scaring me.
Citation needed.
I'm not going to cite the sky being blue, tilt your neck.
Not everyone agrees "excess deaths" is the ultimate variable society should optimize for at the expense of all other variables.