Using the CDC WONDER data for opioid deaths and the NYTimes data for COVID-19, I show the cumulative deaths (y-axis) from all opioids (blue) and from COVID (red) over time (x-axis).
I’ll be updating this periodically. Last updated: 2/1/2021.
Comparing epidemics
In all likelihood, the US will end up with more (direct) deaths from COVID-19 than the “opioid epidemic” since 1999.