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The peak mortality in the UK from this might still beat the 1989 flu epidemic, and it'd probably have done so already if it wasn't for all the lockdowns, but it
by makomk 7y ago
The peak mortality in the UK from this might still beat the 1989 flu epidemic, and it'd probably have done so already if it wasn't for all the lockdowns, but it hasn't officially achieved even that much yet. And our lockdown was relatively late and lax compared to a lot of other countries, so much so that it's probably still a little early to see much effect on the total mortality figures.
(If you're wondering "what 1989 flu epidemic", it probably wasn't well known outside or even inside the UK except amongst people who lived through it.)
- jnbiche 7y agoI agree. The 1957 Asian Flu pandemic is widely considered to be the worst pandemic since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. Most figures I see for UK deaths from the Asian Flu in 1957 range from 3500 (for just England and Wales) to 30,000 (which looks at just excess death in the entire UK). Most estimates I see for 1989 flu epidemic in the UK are around 30,000. COVID-19 death toll in the UK will almost certainly exceed the both of those death tolls. You're at 18,000 already, and you're likely not even at the peak of the curve yet. And almost certainly, we'll see a second wave come late fall and winter (sadly).