The proportion of COVID deaths that's older folks and folks with underlying conditions does Not, in any way, make it OK that people are dying, but it IS probably a useful shorthand marker for two informationally important things: viral dose and hospital/ICU overload.

It has been noted that when severe & lethal illness occurs in younger patients, they were often exposed in environments that can be assumed to have a high concentration of virus: this article mentions bus drivers and ER workers as particularly vulnerable. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/01/health/viral-dose-coronavirus-severity/index.html

So it follows that as the case count in an area rises, passive exposure environments become more dangerous.

Or, a bus that contains an average of 3-5 virus carriers at a time will give you a more concentrated exposure than a bus containing one carrier.

Similarly, younger and healthier people have a better prognosis in general, and in the instance that they become severely ill, the existence and adequacy of ICU care is more likely to make a difference.

So when your area's death counts include younger, healthier people, it is best to assume that hospitals are getting overwhelmed, and be EXTREMELY cautious about public indoor environments.