Excess US deaths before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic (23 May 2025)

Summary

Mortality rates decreased more slowly in the US than in other high-income countries (HICs) between 1980 and 2019,1 resulting in growing numbers of excess US deaths compared with other HICs. Authors of this research letter, published in JAMA Health Forum, assessed trends in excess US deaths before (1980-2019), during (2020-2022), and after (2023) the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.