Coronavirus (COVID-19) Discussion Thread

[haxxiy]

SvennoJ said:

haxxiy said:

Do those calculation with excess mortality correct for 'missing' flu deaths

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01538-8
21 May 2020 How coronavirus lockdowns stopped flu in its tracks

Local data from the state of New York show a similar pattern. Although the flu season started a few weeks earlier than usual there, the rate of cases fell sharply and the season ended five weeks early. In Hong Kong, the 2019–20 influenza season was 63% shorter than those of the previous five years, and the number of deaths from lab-confirmed flu was 62% lower.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/covid-19-story-tip-flu-cases-dramatically-low-so-far-this-season
January 1st 2021 Typically, the winter months bring the peak of flu season. As cases of COVID-19 have soared in the U.S. over the past few weeks, however, cases of the flu have remained extremely low. Flu season typically peaks between December and February each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the flu causes up to 45 million illnesses, up to 810,000 hospitalizations and up to 61,000 deaths each year. But this flu season, there have been just 925 cases of the flu around the U.S so far.

A positive effect of the pandemic. There are plenty negative ones as well, more cancer deaths due to delayed discovery and treatment for example.

It could be the flu season appeared to be subdued (more than it should with social distancing) because of double infections that were tested only for SARS-CoV-2. It's rather common for respiratory viruses to attack as a pack, after all, but few labs outside of clinical studies will attempt codetection as opposed to an elimination process.

That, and perhaps the fact that new strains couldn't be introduced from abroad as effectively. An interesting showcase of viral dynamics, either way.