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From the article: > The CDC should immediately change how it reports flu deaths. While in the past it was justifiable to err on the side of substantially overe

From the article: > The CDC should immediately change how it reports flu deaths. While in the past it was justifiable to err on the side of substantially overestimating flu deaths, in order to encourage vaccination and good hygiene Doctors, scientists, and the CDC, basically everyone we've been told to always trust when it comes to these matters, are and have been 'substantially' inflating flu death numbers to manipulate public behavior (e.g. to get more people to be vaccinated). As well intentioned as that may be it is exactly why some people are skeptical about the flu vaccine. They sense manipulation and run from it. This patronizing behavior from the scientific and political class is destructive.

jarym 7y ago
I agree. But within that same batch of people, faced with undeniable first-hand evidence of the severity of something like covid-19 will inexplicably choose to blame 5G antennas. Nutso people are nutso is my only conclusion.
Hokusai 7y ago
> have been 'substantially' inflating flu death numbers to manipulate public behavior (e.g. to get more people to take vaccinated). This is the article writer opinion, it is not the CDC official stand on the matter. Similar calculations are currently done for Covid-19. Many articles show the discrepancy between total reported deaths, Covid-19 reported deaths and medium values in previous years. It makes sense. That the numbers are not perfectly correct does not mean that they are not good enough to use for policies and to inform the public. > This patronizing behavior from the scientific and political class is destructive. I like the transparency of publishing the data and the methods to calculate it. That is the contrary of patronizing. I hope that transparency continues to be the norm, even when makes the number easier to criticize for people with little information.
gpderetta 7y ago
Agree that lying to people (even by selective omission) is a great way to undermine confidence and trust.
hnburnsy 7y ago
Does anyone feel like this happens with some approaching hurricane coverage where the scientists may overestimate things like storm surge to try and prod people to evacuate? Now when the next hurricane approaches they remember what happened last time and might be less likely to leave.

jarym 7y ago

I agree. But within that same batch of people, faced with undeniable first-hand evidence of the severity of something like covid-19 will inexplicably choose to blame 5G antennas. Nutso people are nutso is my only conclusion.

Hokusai 7y ago

> have been 'substantially' inflating flu death numbers to manipulate public behavior (e.g. to get more people to take vaccinated). This is the article writer opinion, it is not the CDC official stand on the matter. Similar calculations are currently done for Covid-19. Many articles show the discrepancy between total reported deaths, Covid-19 reported deaths and medium values in previous years. It makes sense. That the numbers are not perfectly correct does not mean that they are not good enough to use for policies and to inform the public. > This patronizing behavior from the scientific and political class is destructive. I like the transparency of publishing the data and the methods to calculate it. That is the contrary of patronizing. I hope that transparency continues to be the norm, even when makes the number easier to criticize for people with little information.

gpderetta 7y ago

Agree that lying to people (even by selective omission) is a great way to undermine confidence and trust.

hnburnsy 7y ago

Does anyone feel like this happens with some approaching hurricane coverage where the scientists may overestimate things like storm surge to try and prod people to evacuate? Now when the next hurricane approaches they remember what happened last time and might be less likely to leave.