Americans should prepare for coronavirus spread in U.S., CDC says

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

55. I suppose it's simply that flu is ordinary and common

and comes around every year. Yes, people die, but mainly old people or those with underlying health issues. Ever since 1918, young, healthy people have not dropped dead from the flu.

But the corona virus, a "novel" virus meaning this specific iteration is brand new even though it is simply one of many, many corona viruses which include the common cold, meaning everyone has already been exposed to various corona viruses and has at least a partial immunity. Still, some people are getting very sick and some are dying. But more to the point, it's being reported relentlessly, every single day. If some other things were reported that way, say deaths from guns in this country, we'd probably have serious and genuine gun control inside of six months. If every single suicide, if every single murder, if every single "accidental" gunshot were reported each and every day, well just think about it.

But back to the topic at hand. We are getting daily updates, to whatever extent we can trust those updates.

Oh, and a few years back I worked at my local hospital, and during flu season there were also beds in the halls, and schools were likewise still in session and so on. There really is a degree of panic and overreaction that is sheer ignorance.

Here's a fascinating chart. Notice that after the Spanish flu went away, deaths from influenza drop off precipitously, and after 1950 simply aren't spiking. Isn't that interesting?

You are going to have to click on the link. No matter what I try I can't seem to just post the chart itself.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mzemlLwog8r7_GDeJmDMy-JWndqpD86MEdz9-Mc50WLiqYEaN4l6pQLkmiEFfskmXidVweMfRB8Wu_nlgf00oKDkTyvTRy_iZFFE1gYOMLL9fA2t1fs8966br07UOA