Coronavirus isolation may be contributing to thousands of excess dementia deaths in the U.S.


From the beginning of the pandemic, health experts warned that the coronavirus' true toll would extend beyond illness and death directly related to COVID-19. As the health care system became overwhelmed earlier this year, many people who needed care for other medical issues received delayed treatment. But people suffering from dementia were perhaps most drastically affected, The Washington Post reports.
More than 134,200 people have died from Alzheimer's in the United States and other forms of dementia since March when the pandemic first really took hold across the country. The Post's analysis of federal data found that is 13,200 more deaths than expected compared with previous years. Indeed, the Post notes, dementia has produced by far the most excess fatalities not directly attributed to COVID-19 throughout the pandemic — more than diabetes and heart disease, the next two highest categories, combined.
The deaths appear to be related not just to the virus, but isolation strategy, the Post reports. Doctors have reported increased falls, pulmonary infections, depression, and suddenly frail patients who had been stable for years. That's likely partly attributable to the fact that social and mental stimulation, especially interactions with family members, are among the few ways to slow dementia, but are now much less available for patients because they are more isolated. Read more at The Washington Post.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
ICE agents take down Lady Justice | June 21 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include ICE, Donald Trump as a lion tamer, and ordering from the Bible
-
5 editorial cartoons about ICE raids
Cartoons Political cartoonists take on ICE raids, harvesting Big Macs for Donald Trump, and what to do when Stephen Miller shows up at the front door
-
Grilled radicchio with caper and anchovy sauce recipe
The Week Recommends Smoky twist on classic Italian flavours is perfect to grill, drizzle and devour
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panel
speed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kids
Speed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
-
New FDA chiefs limit Covid-19 shots to elderly, sick
speed read The FDA set stricter approval standards for booster shots
-
US overdose deaths plunged 27% last year
speed read Drug overdose still 'remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44,' said the CDC
-
Trump seeks to cut drug prices via executive order
speed read The president's order tells pharmaceutical companies to lower prescription drug prices, but it will likely be thrown out by the courts
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments