I think he means that it was like family in the sense that he was there. You didn't choose him, Dilbert was just everywhere. And back in the day everyone loved Scott Adams, but then thing started to go bad over time and we all realized what was happening. It's similar to what a lot of families face - you love someone when you're younger but realize how messed up things are later. Or the person changes in negative ways. I don't see this as justifying anything.

This is the equivalent of Blockbuster rejecting Netflix.

Could it mean that lots of Covid deaths are being attributed to other things?

You had me in the first half.

We do. Don't worry about it.