I somewhat disagree. We are back to bad flu season status. However doubling and tripling down on mask orders and restrictions has done nothing to slow be spread as would be expected. The death rate is fortunately down but people are still dying/. We should not minimize families losses at this time of year it diminishes us as human beings. We need to stop the ridiculous isolation and help each other through this. it will pass abs life will return to normal - what of it we don’t destroy by trying to save it.....
I will crunch the numbers based on a sound estimate of daily deaths and try to get back to you. But if you accept published death rates of 7000 per week for 10 weeks then I guess you would be right that it would be a bad flu season. Issue is that I don’t accept the 7000 per week.
As a doctor dealing with the impact of the virus itself on real patients, I’m curious what advice you would have for the general public in order to slow the spread while we await vaccines. For example: outdoor dining where it’s feasible when households are mixing (e.g. at restaurants)? Increasing ventilation in public places? Social distancing in public? Limiting the number of people in enclosed stores or the duration of their visit?
I ask because I know you don’t put much stock in mask wearing, but I’m curious what measures you feel would be helpful and appropriate as I’m sure you’d like to see fewer people showing up for care.
CDC is hardly tracking the flu. Seems to still be consumed with COVID.
Says:
Key Updates for Week 46, ending November 14, 2020
Seasonal influenza activity in the United States remains lower than usual for this time of year.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm#S2
The Flu season below the equator was minimal.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/01/health/flu-season-southern-hemisphere-covid-trnd/index.html
These shutdowns remind me of the definition of insanity...