jg77 wrote:Yeah...because flu cases declined dramatically because ya know everyone wears mask now and wear them properly at that. Yeah, right.
It's not that simple.
Flu Cases Decline Dramatically This SeasonFrom epidemiologist, Eili Klein:
The Johns Hopkins epidemiologist already knew that flu transmission would be reduced because people were following the public health safety precautions recommended to prevent acquiring the novel coronavirus.
With people still wearing masks, washing their hands frequently and physically distancing, he expected these measures to temper the flu this year. And, with most public schools — major transmission routes for flu — likely remaining closed, in addition to restaurant and business closures, there were even fewer opportunities for flu to spread.
Klein was correct. The flu season generally peaks between December and February each year, bringing up to 45 million illnesses, 810,000 hospitalizations and 61,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This year, however, as of Feb. 5, there have been only 1,455 cases in the U.S.
“Though caused by a different virus from the one that causes COVID-19, the flu is also a respiratory viral disease, so everything we are doing to slow transmission of COVID-19 should also reduce transmission of flu,” says Klein, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
A sharp drop in flu cases during COVID-19 pandemicFrom Stephen Kissler, a research fellow in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health:
Precautions taken to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, including wearing masks and distancing, are likely the major reason for a steep decline of flu cases in the U.S., according to experts.
Stephen Kissler, a research fellow in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a February 11, 2021 Vox article that while more people received a flu vaccine this year, the sharp drop in cases was probably largely driven by mask-wearing and distancing. Kissler suggested that wearing masks in the future could be an effective way of helping control flu outbreaks. “Wearing masks in the wintertime, I think it’s something that might be here to stay,” he said.
Why the Flu Season Basically Disappeared This YearFrom Dr. Casey Kelley, a family medicine physician and the founder and medical director of Case Integrative Health in Chicago:
The closure of schools also contributed to this year’s low flu activity.
According to Kelley, children have less immunity to the flu since their immune systems haven’t been exposed to many pathogens.
SchoolsTrusted Source are also high-contact environments, making kids particularly susceptible to catching and transmitting the flu.
Past evidence suggests kids are the number one source responsible for bringing the flu into households.
Like schools, offices are flu hotspots.
Flu germs can live on common surfaces — like doorknobs or the copy machine — for up to 24 hours. They also shoot through the air when a person coughs, sneezes, or exhales.
“Public transit, office buildings and business travel are all high-contact events that are down significantly [this year],” Kelley said.
There are many, many articles from credible sources on this subject; but, let's examine the source of this bogus claim.
USA Today Fact Check:
Flu cases declined during 2020-2021 season compared to previous years – but not by 379MCooler temperatures and flu vaccines have returned, and with them so has misinformation about flu cases and COVID-19.
A Sept. 25 Facebook post that accrued more than 9,800 shares in four days claims the number of flu cases vastly decreased within one year.
"Imagine believing flu cases dropped by 379,998,178 in one year?" reads the screenshot of an April 11 tweet by user @cissylala.
The original tweet accrued almost 800 retweets and 3,000 likes as of Sept. 29.
Fact check:Flu activity is low so far, likely because of pandemic precautions
The text plays on various conspiracy theories, which independent fact-checking organizations have debunked, including some that argue flu cases decreased because COVID-19 was actually a "seasonal" flu and people were being diagnosed with the virus instead of the flu.
I'm more inclined to agree with actual medical experts than a garbage conspiracy that originated on Facebook. If you still remain skeptical, ask your own doctor. Your doctor can clear up any confusion that you may have.