[TexasGator]

“Before flu shots mankind was on the very edge of extinction. Flu may kill you!”

My Grandmother used to tell us about the 1918 epidemic. Over 500,000 in the U.S. died.

[Bob434]

[[My Grandmother used to tell us about the 1918 epidemic. Over 500,000 in the U.S. died.]]

You can go to many cemeteries and note that certain years lots of young people died all around the same time- likely when flu epidemics hit-

[neverevergiveup]

“My Grandmother used to tell us about the 1918 epidemic. Over 500,000 in the U.S. died.”

Yes. The 1918 pandemic was horrible. That said, the reason why we haven't had the same recently is not because of the flu vaccines. They can be helpful, when the vaccine developers get it right, but there are a variety of other factors that determine the number of people who are infected with influenza virus, and the number who survive. These include:

1. The virulence of the particular strains involved.

2. The living conditions and the general health of the population (e.g. immune compromised people, and those with poor nutrition and general health will be more susceptible). In a new flu pandemic, it is estimated that 90% of deaths would be in developing countries.

3. The infrastructure and development of the health care system (e.g. critical care for severely affected patients, public health system response capacity to decrease exposure and spread, the availability of Tamiflu, and yes the availability of ‘effective’ vaccines).

There are more factors, and it truly is multi-factorial. Still, a bad pandemic could happen.

[Bob434]

also according to the CDC 4054 people in us have died from the flu this year- thsat’s pretty significant

[Governor Dinwiddie]

People have forgotten how virulent the Flu of 1918 was. Someone would go to work in the morning happy and healthy, and by suppertime he'd be dead.

Youtube has a very good documentary from the PBS series American Experience: Influenza 1918 — well worth the viewing.