Stop comparing the coronavirus to the flu

[corbe]

Stop comparing the coronavirus to the flu

by Kaylee McGhee

March 11, 2020 06:05 PM
 
Within hours of the first reported coronavirus deaths in the United States, grocery stores in California completely sold out of Clorox wipes and toilet paper. Hand sanitizer and face masks are now nearly impossible to find nationwide, so some have discovered ways to make their own sanitizer from aloe vera gel and rubbing alcohol and face masks from articles of clothing or plastic bags.

The public is preparing for a pandemic, which is exactly what the coronavirus has become, according to the World Health Organization. Yet, many of our government and health officials continue to insist that the virus is no more dangerous than the seasonal flu, which killed more than 37,000 Americans this winter, as President Trump so aptly reminded us.

To an extent, Trump’s point is a fair one. Humans catch, fight, and even die from various diseases, bugs, and viruses all the time, so public panic isn’t warranted. But it is counterproductive to downplay the seriousness of the coronavirus by comparing it to the seasonal flu. Sure, its symptoms are similar, but COVID-19's mortality rate is much higher, and it spreads much faster than the flu, according to Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/stop-comparing-the-coronavirus-to-the-flu

[truth_seeker]

Of course it is very serious.

But one of the major goals of Public Health practices, is to avoid panic; since panic only makes matters worse, while adding nothing helpful.

My daughter works in a market. I question her daily as to whether it is as bad, as the media portrays it to be.

Everytime she says no, it is not. I ask if they still have TP and bottled water, ans she says yes, they do.

Oddly the only place where I saw anybody advocate panic buying, was at GOPBR-'get yours before they run out.'

[jmyrlefuller]

So far, though, the infection rate is lower. I noted this on Twitter, but now that the virus has peaked in Wuhan and has begun to play out, we can start getting a better picture.

Wuhan has 11 million people. The number of infected there has peaked at 50,000. 1 in over 200. Fewer people are getting this virus than are getting the flu.

So, when factoring in that, compared to the tens of millions of flu cases in America (population over 300 million), and the mortality rate ends up being about even.

[catfish1957]

Of course it is very serious.

But one of the major goals of Public Health practices, is to avoid panic; since panic only makes matters worse, while adding nothing helpful.

My daughter works in a market. I question her daily as to whether it is as bad, as the media portrays it to be.

Everytime she says no, it is not. I ask if they still have TP and bottled water, ans she says yes, they do.

Oddly the only place where I saw anybody advocate panic buying, was at GOPBR-'get yours before they run out.'

Like I said a few minutes ago.  Yes this is a serious health concern, but just how many people under the age of 50 have died from this yet?

This hysteria has gone beyond insane.

[TomSea]

This doctor is Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, so though he may be right or wrong, this is not just hearing it from some Dr. on TV:

Worst still to come in US coronavirus outbreak: Expert
Concerns mount about US ability to contain the virus as the WHO declares it a pandemic.

The coronavirus situation in the United States is "going to get worse", Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told politicians in Washington DC on Wednesday, saying the virus is killing people at a higher rate than that of the flu.

"It is 10 times more lethal than the seasonal flu," Fauci told the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

The mortality rate for the seasonal flu is roughly 0.1 percent, Fauci said. When all possible cases are considered, the coronavirus has a mortality rate of about 1 percent, Fauci estimated.

Ok, well, this Dr. indeed, is comparing the two.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/worst-coronavirus-outbreak-expert-200311161912421.html

[GtHawk]

But that's exactly what my Pulmonologist compared it to!

[libertybele]

Of course it is very serious.

But one of the major goals of Public Health practices, is to avoid panic; since panic only makes matters worse, while adding nothing helpful.

My daughter works in a market. I question her daily as to whether it is as bad, as the media portrays it to be.

Everytime she says no, it is not. I ask if they still have TP and bottled water, ans she says yes, they do.

Oddly the only place where I saw anybody advocate panic buying, was at GOPBR-'get yours before they run out.'

Well I ventured out awhile again today.  In the past 2 days I have been to 3 Publix supermarkets, 4 Walgreen's, 2 CVS, 2 Walmart neighborhood markets and 1 Target.  Toilet paper is very scarce -- some stores are without.  NO hand sanitizer.  NO rubbing alcohol.  Low inventory of hand soap.  Low inventory of paper towels.  Inventory on canned goods is down.   As of today, there are 3 confirmed cases in my county. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

Well I ventured out awhile again today.  In the past 2 days I have been to 3 Publix supermarkets, 4 Walgreen's, 2 CVS, 2 Walmart neighborhood markets and 1 Target.  Toilet paper is very scarce -- some stores are without.