The core question that the author doesn't touch because he only deals with the absolute number of cases is: what happens with long covid? With prior epidemics, people were dead and that's it or they were alive and healthy soon-ish, the rate of survivors with horrible, lasting after effects always was low (such as with polio which left only ~1200 people in 1959 with an iron lung).

Coronavirus in contrast is much, much more evil - even in young, healthy people such as athletes, there are numerous reports of a wide variety of symptoms: permanent lung damage due to scarring first and foremost, but also neural symptoms (ME/CFS), GI issues or mental health issues.

Unfortunately, this isn't talked about much and - unlike an iron lung or scars - most symptoms can't be seen from just looking at a corona survivor, which leads to a widespread ignorance in just how immensely dangerous this virus is.