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> The coronavirus has, in half a year, killed more people than the worst flu seasons That's not true. The flu seasons in 1968, 1957, 1918, and 1889 each killed

> The coronavirus has, in half a year, killed more people than the worst flu seasons That's not true. The flu seasons in 1968, 1957, 1918, and 1889 each killed over a million people worldwide, twice as many as COVID-19 in roughly the same timespan, and that out of a lower total population, and despite lockdowns and quarantines. (Who is downvoting this simple truth? How is anyone going to discuss this issue if we can't even talk about basic facts?)

leto_ii 6y ago
You are referring, I think, to years with pandemics that were not caused by what can be called the 'regular' flu. It's especially comical that you have included the 1918 flu pandemic among your counter-examples.
- leereeves 6y ago
  What is "regular" flu? There are many strains in circulation, including those that caused past pandemics. We have vaccines and acquired immunity, so it's been some time since the last truly deadly flu epidemic, but the flu should not be dismissed so lightly. And why wouldn't I include 1918 in a list of flu pandemics that killed over a million people?
  - takeda 6y ago
    There are many strains of corona virus as well, most of them cause a simple cold. We are not comparing COVID-19 to a common cold.
    - leereeves 6y ago
      Right, I compared COVID-19 to the worst strains of the flu, not to the common cold. I found that the worst strains of the flu killed more people. But even that simple statement of fact is suppressed, even here on HN, because this issue is so heavily politicized.
      - jacobush 6y ago
        Is it? I see it acknowledged, and often paired with the observation that the worst flus have not been mitigated by extreme social distancing as we have now.
- yxhuvud 6y ago
  At least for Sweden, it is still true that the worst flus have killed more people than corona on a per capita basis. And we don't have to go back very far at all to find cases of this. 1993 and 2000 where particularly bad and topped corona. But that is corona with social distancing and very widespread working from home, so it isn't really an apples to apples comparison.
username90 6y ago
Before vaccines the flu killed over a million people worldwide every single year.

leto_ii 6y ago

You are referring, I think, to years with pandemics that were not caused by what can be called the 'regular' flu. It's especially comical that you have included the 1918 flu pandemic among your counter-examples.

leereeves 6y ago
What is "regular" flu? There are many strains in circulation, including those that caused past pandemics. We have vaccines and acquired immunity, so it's been some time since the last truly deadly flu epidemic, but the flu should not be dismissed so lightly. And why wouldn't I include 1918 in a list of flu pandemics that killed over a million people?
- takeda 6y ago
  There are many strains of corona virus as well, most of them cause a simple cold. We are not comparing COVID-19 to a common cold.
  - leereeves 6y ago
    Right, I compared COVID-19 to the worst strains of the flu, not to the common cold. I found that the worst strains of the flu killed more people. But even that simple statement of fact is suppressed, even here on HN, because this issue is so heavily politicized.
    - jacobush 6y ago
      Is it? I see it acknowledged, and often paired with the observation that the worst flus have not been mitigated by extreme social distancing as we have now.
yxhuvud 6y ago
At least for Sweden, it is still true that the worst flus have killed more people than corona on a per capita basis. And we don't have to go back very far at all to find cases of this. 1993 and 2000 where particularly bad and topped corona. But that is corona with social distancing and very widespread working from home, so it isn't really an apples to apples comparison.

username90 6y ago

Before vaccines the flu killed over a million people worldwide every single year.