Covid-19 silver lining ...MUCH less flu

AnnieA

AnnieA

Well-known Member
Location
Down South
Heck of a way to knock out the flu, but we have to take the positives when we find them in 2020!


https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/uritheflu/88676

Excerpts:

In 2019, flu season started as normal in the U.S., increasing in early November with more than 20% of specimens testing positive for influenza from Dec. 15, 2019 to March 7, 2020. But by March 22, while the number of samples tested remained high, percent positivity fell to 2.3%, and remained less than 1% since the week of April 5. ...influenza positivity rates dropped off sharply, approaching zero by early April -- a time that, in previous seasons, it hovered around 15%.​
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Because influenza is less transmissible than SARS-CoV-2, these measures "likely contributed to a more substantial interruption in influenza transmission"​
 

Aunt Bea said:
It's good news.

IMO it's also very sad news that our public health officials did not stress the benefits of wearing masks, hand washing, social distancing to prevent the spread of flu before now.
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@Aunt Bea I work in healthcare so am exposed to the flu frequently during flare-ups. Since I stopped taking the flu shot over fifteen years ago, I've only had it once because my brother-in-law came down with it during Christmas weekend with all of us staying several nights at my parents.

I'm scrupulous about infection control measures when at work and out and about during cold and flu season. I've never used a mask, but do clean shopping carts, use hand sanitizer after I've touched something like a credit card machine, don't touch my face without using a tissue when out, use a tissue for door knobs, elevator buttons, to turn faucets off after washing my hands... So far those measures have worked for me.
 

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Just goes to show that one of my most unfavorite sayings “ It is what it is” doesn’t apply to flu if infection control practices are used. I’m going to get the shot next week as always.
 
"It is what it is" typically refers to accepting something that cannot be changed rather than railing against it. For instance, I'm 35 minutes from Los Angeles airport with zero traffic. Zero. If I put the pedal to the metal I might be able to get there in 25. No way to do it in 15 minutes, even if it means missing a flight.
It is what it is.

Agreed that infection control isn't a "it is what it is" situation. Many variables come into play, vaccines and our behaviors included.
 
I complain about that saying when people use it to apply to situations that ARE changeable but they don’t want to try to change them. I’m sure that wouldn’t apply to you, star song, but there are people who are too lazy, stubborn or ignorant to make improvements where they are possible.
 
Geezerette said:
I complain about that saying when people use it to apply to situations that ARE changeable but they don’t want to try to change them. I’m sure that wouldn’t apply to you, star song, but there are people who are too lazy, stubborn or ignorant to make improvements where they are possible.
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Agreed, @Geezerette, than many people use it as the verbal equivalent of shrugging their shoulders rather than finding solutions or improving circumstances.

Thanks for explaining. ♥
 

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