Deaths in the US (like in the UK) are barely moving unlike during the other waves b/c of elderly vaccination rates. I really doubt this will budge the aggregate fatality rates much at all.

I agree if your denominator is infected to death rate. If you’re talking relative to state population, then 5k extra deaths moves the needle.

But, whatever. 5000 people dead - it’s just a number, right? Thank goodness we are all coping with the pandemic with statistics.