There are 10-15 times more drug overdoses than COVID, but there arent significantly more overdoses than previous years. Some increase, but it looks like a steady increase.
In other words, excess death counts would account for overdose deaths because they are expected. They wouldn't be considered "excess" deaths.
The numbers I have seen for excess deaths pretty closely match COVID death numbers as counted from death certificates. So you have two unconnected sources matching up pretty closely. I'd say there is a good chance the near million COVID deaths number we are looking at is pretty close.
In other words, excess death counts would account for overdose deaths because they are expected. They wouldn't be considered "excess" deaths.
The numbers I have seen for excess deaths pretty closely match COVID death numbers as counted from death certificates. So you have two unconnected sources matching up pretty closely. I'd say there is a good chance the near million COVID deaths number we are looking at is pretty close.