An Australian Perspective On The Flu (Covid vs Spanish)

[JonDouglas]

Some might get the idea that covid-19 is more like the Hong Kong flu but with the latter, people just got on with their lives - no lockdowns, no masks, no big panic, no drama, no insane overreaction etc.

Edit Note: As best I can tell, there's no concensus on where the Spanish Flu started. Kansas, Asia and France have been suggested as source areas by various studies.

 

[Dana]

.
The 1968 influenza pandemic (the "Hong Kong flu") was a category 2 flu pandemic whose outbreak in 1968 and 1969 killed an estimated one million people worldwide. Hong Kong flu was one of the famous influenza pandemics in history. It was caused by an H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus, descended from H2N2 through antigenic shift, a genetic process in which genes from multiple subtypes reassorted to form a new virus..

‘COVID-19 is often referred to as “just another flu” or even a “lesser flu”. However, there are fundamental differences between COVID-19 and flu, which are different diseases caused by different viruses. The flu, also known as influenza, is caused by influenza viruses. In contrast, COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which differs from influenza viruses in its structure and composition, in the way it replicates, in the range of cells that it can infect, and in the disease that it causes.

https://www.kent.ac.uk/news/society/26761/explainer-covid-19-is-not-comparable-to-flu
.

 

[JonDouglas]

.
The 1968 influenza pandemic (the "Hong Kong flu") was a category 2 flu pandemic whose outbreak in 1968 and 1969 killed an estimated one million people worldwide. Hong Kong flu was one of the famous influenza pandemics in history. It was caused by an H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus, descended from H2N2 through antigenic shift, a genetic process in which genes from multiple subtypes reassorted to form a new virus..

‘COVID-19 is often referred to as “just another flu” or even a “lesser flu”. However, there are fundamental differences between COVID-19 and flu, which are different diseases caused by different viruses. The flu, also known as influenza, is caused by influenza viruses. In contrast, COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which differs from influenza viruses in its structure and composition, in the way it replicates, in the range of cells that it can infect, and in the disease that it causes.

https://www.kent.ac.uk/news/society/26761/explainer-covid-19-is-not-comparable-to-flu
.

Flu vs. Covid-19: Mostly same symptoms where both are contagious respiratory illnesses but from different virus. Establishing illness and death rates for both has been a challenge for the CDC, which is known to adjust its counting procedures mid-stream.

 

[chic]

Some might get the idea that covid-19 is more like the Hong Kong flu but with the latter, people just got on with their lives - no lockdowns, no masks, no big panic, no drama, no insane overreaction etc.

Edit Note: As best I can tell, there's no concensus on where the Spanish Flu started. Kansas, Asia and France have been suggested as source areas by various studies.

I thought Spanish flu started on the transport ships bringing soldiers back from WWI. I could be wrong and someone may correct me if I am. It was first reported by the Spanish media and so was referred to as Spanish influenza but it didn't start in Spain.

 

[JonDouglas]

I thought Spanish flu started on the transport ships bringing soldiers back from WWI. I could be wrong and someone may correct me if I am. It was first reported by the Spanish media and so was referred to as Spanish influenza but it didn't start in Spain.

Given the state of communications, virology testing and measurement at that time, I don't think anyone knows for sure or with any degree of certainty.