5 ms·

Flu hits rural areas hardest, but hits them later than it hits cities. I wouldn’t make quick assumptions this early on. This may be different, as people don’t

by graeme 7y ago

Flu hits rural areas hardest, but hits them later than it hits cities. I wouldn’t make quick assumptions this early on. This may be different, as people don’t take flu as seriously. But America is already loosening up. You also can’t see stuff as clearly in rural areas. The big risks are indoor gatherings at private homes, church, work, and school. If you aren’t doing those things, you won’t see them happening. Whereas it’s easy to see people walking on an urban street as you drive by, or to watch the news going to a central urban location. You see this with crime rates. People assume it’s a big city issue due to visibility, but crime rates tend to be higher in rural areas. Coronavirus may well require urban density, but don’t be too quick to assume it as an axiom. https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/flu-hits-rural-georgia-hard-data-shows-will-covid-the-same/dzStNJhbzIVTQJ7MG0PfJP/ https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/flu-hits-rural-geor...

Retric 7y ago
Vaccination rates vary by location. https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/vaccines/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/vaccines/index.html COVID-19 lacks a vaccine, making the flu comparison problematic.
- graeme 7y ago
  That data isn’t about flu. Got anything specific about flu vaccination rates in urban vs. rural areas? The HPV vaccine in particularly is an issue in the culture wars. That said you’re likely correct. I found this from cdc, with rates by state. At a glance, rural states have lower rates: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-1819estimates.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-1819estimates.ht... However, this gap could also be due to health system efficacy in general. So unclear if we might expect worse covid results in places with fewer/worse hospitals.
  - Retric 7y ago
    This says rural areas have lower influenza vaccination rates: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X11009029 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X1... For underlying data you may need to look at BRFSS.

by graeme 7y ago

Retric 7y ago

Vaccination rates vary by location. https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/vaccines/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/vaccines/index.html COVID-19 lacks a vaccine, making the flu comparison problematic.

graeme 7y ago
That data isn’t about flu. Got anything specific about flu vaccination rates in urban vs. rural areas? The HPV vaccine in particularly is an issue in the culture wars. That said you’re likely correct. I found this from cdc, with rates by state. At a glance, rural states have lower rates: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-1819estimates.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/coverage-1819estimates.ht... However, this gap could also be due to health system efficacy in general. So unclear if we might expect worse covid results in places with fewer/worse hospitals.
- Retric 7y ago
  This says rural areas have lower influenza vaccination rates: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X11009029 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X1... For underlying data you may need to look at BRFSS.