Three things for October 23
1. Harvard study finds COVID-19 cost Americans 2.5 million years of life
Harvard Geneticist Dr. Stephen Elledge calculated the number of potential years of lives lost prematurely due to COVID-19. According to his analysis, posted Oct. 20, Elledge recorded the ages of the Americans known to have died due to the disease, and counted the number of years each person might have lived if they had reached the typical life expectancy.
His calculations estimate that over 2.5 million “person-years” of life have been lost in the U.S. alone since the start of 2020. Almost half of these years were taken from people younger than 65.
“Think of everything that a person does in a year,” said Elledge. “Who among us would not give anything to have one more year with a parent, a spouse, a son or daughter, a close friend?”
2. Los Angeles Dodgers to play Tampa Bay Rays tonight
The Los Angeles Dodgers take on the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the World Series tonight.
The teams are currently tied 1-1 in the best-of-five MLB championship, making tonight a pivotal game.
The Dodgers were first victorious in game one with an 8-3 win. The Rays struck back in game two with a 6-4 victory.
The World Series has taken place so far in neutral sites with limited fans. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET tonight at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
3. One charge dismissed against former officer in Floyd’s death
A Minnesota judge dismissed the third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who suffocated George Floyd by pressing his knee to his neck. The judge said there was not enough probable cause for the charge to proceed to trial.
According to AP News, the more serious second-degree murder and manslaughter charges against Chauvin remain, meaning he could face up to 55 years in prison.
Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, the other officers present during Floyd’s death, are charged with aiding and abetting murder. They each face up to 40 years in prison.
“In this court’s view, with one exception, the State has met its burden of showing probable cause that warrants proceeding to trial against each of these Defendants on each of the criminal charges the State has filed against them,” said Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill.
