DMcG If there is no way to directly compare data sets from one country with another it follows that claims this country is worse than that country are meaningless. Apples do not compare with oranges. Even crude death rates cannot compare as cause of death is recorded by way of different criteria from one country to another. The inaccuracy of data compilation both within countries and between countries has been a major stumbling block for forward planning throughout this crisis. This has been highlighted frequently. The difference between German and Belgian compilations of cause of death certificates is very much an apples and oranges comparison. Whatever metric is chosen for comparison it is flawed. This has always been a given from day one. Even when the dust has settled direct   comparisons between countries will be impossible because there is no standardisation of data compilation. Total numbers of fatalities may well be accurate. Cause of death most assuredly will not be, as most will have at least one comorbidity.