BMEP100

Was your mom much younger in 2010 when the Swine flu killed tens of thousands and infected millions ? There was no panic or pandemic declared with that administration.

The flu killed 80,000 in the US in 2018.

It passed and the economy continued along, without the media hysteria.

If someone believes they are at higher risk this time, by all means, stay in your room.

Get a grip. Turn off the network news.

89Pistons

That's the problem. You are comparing apples to oranges. Did Swine Flu have most major countries shutting down borders? Cripple every airline in the world? Did we not have media in 2010? If folks like you would got it through their head that this is different then we might have been better prepared for what we're going through now.

And save the network news BS for someone else. I don't watch it.

Itsajob

I don’t understand the panic response to this version, where others were as deadly, but lacked the global freak out. Common influenza is an annual pandemic that kills between 250,000 and 500,000. There are other diseases that spread easily, are global, and can lead to fatalities. Where has the panic been for them, why now for this version? I don’t buy the political agenda of CNN vs Fox News argument. People all over the world who don’t care about our politics are having similar reactions. This took off and just seems to fuel itself. I’m not downplaying the virus, but I don’t understand the reaction.

Bat Guano

No, Coronavirus Isn't 'Just Like The Flu'. Here Are The Very Important Differences

AFP
14 MARCH 2020Aches and pains, sore throat, fever – although they may feel similar to those suffering from their symptoms, the novel coronavirus is not the same as the seasonal flu, experts stressed Wednesday.

COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, proves deadly in around 3.5 percent of confirmed cases.

While this is not the same as its mortality rate, given many people may be infected but not realise it, it is significantly higher than seasonal flu, which typically kills 0.1 percent of patients.

"There is still considerable uncertainty around the fatality rates of COVID-19 and it likely varies depending on the quality of local healthcare," said Francois Balloux, Professor of Computational Systems Biology at University College London.

"That said, it is around two percent on average, which is about 20 times higher than for the seasonal flu lineages currently in circulation."

Serious cases

But the true danger of coronavirus is unlikely to be the death toll. Experts say health systems could easily become overwhelmed by the number of cases requiring hospitalisation – and, often ventilation to support breathing.

An analysis of 45,000 confirmed cases in China, where the epidemic originated, show that the vast majority of deaths were among the elderly (14.8 percent mortality among over 80s).

But another Chinese study showed that 41 percent of serious cases occurred among under 50s, compared with 27 percent among over 65s.

"It's true that if you're older you're at greater risk, but serious cases can also happen in relatively young people with no prior conditions," said French deputy health minister Jerome Salomon.

Contagiousness

Disease experts estimate that each COVID-19 sufferer infects between two to 3 others.

That's a reproduction rate up to twice as high as seasonal flu, which typically infects 1.3 new people for each patient.

Vaccine/treatment

Salomon said that humans have lived with influenza for more than 100 years.

"We've studied it closely," he said. "This new virus resembles the flu in terms of physical symptoms but there are huge differences."

Number one is the lack of a vaccine against COVID-19, or even any treatment shown to be consistently effective.

While some trials have shown promise delivering anti-retroviral drugs to serious cases, as well as some experimental therapies, their sample sizes are too small to roll out to the general population.

Hundreds of researchers around the world are working frantically to find a COVID-19 vaccine, but the development process takes months and is likely too late for the current outbreak.

Even if a vaccine magically appeared, getting everyone access it to it is no small order. Health authorities regularly complain that not enough people receive the flu vaccine to guarantee "herd immunity".

Similarities

But the new virus does share some characteristics with flu, notably the measures each one of us can personally take to slow the infection rate:

Avoid shaking hands, frequently wash your hands with soap and water, avoid touching your face and wear a mask if you are sick.

Such actions can limit new infections just as they can with the flu, gastro illnesses and other infectious diseases.

France's health ministry says that only two in 10 people regularly wash their hands after using the bathroom.

"And only 42 percent of people cover their mouth with an elbow or tissue when they cough or sneeze," it added, not encouragingly.
​​​​​​

Bat Guano

Funny how the Fox news crowd are all parroting this narrative. Well, except Trish Regan.
It's OK to get a grip on Fox, but nothing else. Got it.

Regularguy

Bat G

While it is worse than normal flu the COVID-19, it did not deserve the pandemic response, mania and general economic destruction our world leaders have endangered humanity with.

No things will not be the same anywhere after this. In the USA our leaders have basically violated the very foundations of the Country. This virus has given those who would like for us to be like China and excuse to move the bar their direction. It’s a bad Sci-fi movie happening in real life and while the virus will die down the new normal will not be the USA we grew up in.

Now here an article asking the right questions:

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2...-the-hysteria/

Of course, depending on the bias, you will find articles which defend the mania.

Even the Washington Post has an article about how this has robbed our nations graduating Seniors.

Now let’s get on with life, our leaders have spoken.

V12Merlin

If you people don’t think this is “political”, you should check in and have your heads looked at.

and stock up on toilet paper


jezzzzzuuuuusssss





remember—-“let no crisis go to waste”

Regularguy

For those who don’t think politics aren’t a part of it, well you’re living in a dream world and have never actually negotiated or directed anything.

Time to grow up.

The world’s an ugly and dangerous place and it’s not because of the virus.

Everything is political.

The word comes from the same Greek word from which the title of Aristotle's book Politics (from Ancient Greek: Πολιτικά, romanized: Politiká or Polis, meaning "affairs of the cities"). The book title was rendered in Early Modern English in the mid-15th century as "Polettiques"; it became "politics" in Modern English.

FlyingMaryJane

Exactly... It's sad that most people understand things in this world are not right, but they still think we live in an honest and legitimate world. That's the question I have on here for everyone.. Do you think we live in an honest and legitimate world today??

Andy

That 3.5% WHO number is total BS. My theory is that the WHO is looking at this as an opportunity to get additional funding. And they will.

Now, let's take a look at a control group where we can pretty much determine the percentage of people who will get coronavirus along with mortality rates. The Diamond Princess. And even those numbers overstate due to the demographics of the people onboard (mostly seniors). The mortality rate was 0.5% and the infection rate was 17%. Real world control group numbers, not some made up scare porn. Link: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/...hip-death-rate

Anyone who cites numbers higher than the Diamond Princess is full of BS. Period. Full stop. And yes, there are a lot of political overtones to this. Amazing how people are willing to give up their freedoms so easily due to fear of a mildly bad strain of virus.