[Paul R.]

I’d say the lower CFR is due to both the vaccines and better treatments. It “should” be a lot better, but an opposing factor is the high number(s) of unvaccinated people ending up in the ICU. I suspect that in turn is due to a large group who are almost deliberately exposing themselves to high virion levels, plus Delta’s propensity to shed so impressively (and the aforementioned group does little to slow it down.)

I’ve still not found, but, maybe it is out there, a well controlled US study of CFR and / or hospitalizations in unvaccinated cases only in the late 2020 / early 2021 wave, vs. the Delta wave. I’d be willing to bet that in any given age group of the unvaccinated, controlled for mask wearing, co-morbidities and such, Delta’s CFR is higher than the prior wave. Delta probably is no more dangerous (and may (may!) even be less dangerous, all else being equal, per virion, than “original” COVID. But, all else is not equal: Delta has strength in it’s astonishing virion numbers and fast replication.

[BeauBo]

“ I’d say the lower CFR is due to both the vaccines and better treatments”

Yes of course, that’s right.

[bagster]

but an opposing factor is the high number(s) of unvaccinated people ending up in the ICU.

Interestingly enough, the number of vaccinated in ICU is higher than unvaccinated.

So pretty much everything you say and think is wrong. Factor that in to your next post, rabbit.