The missing flu riddle: 'Influenza has been renamed COVID,' maverick epidemiologist says

Just the News ^ | January 1, 2021 | Daniel Payne

[Hojczyk]

Epidemiologist Knut Wittkowski thinks he can answer the riddle.

"Influenza has been renamed COVID in large part," said the former head of biostatistics, epidemiology and research design at Rockefeller University.

"There may be quite a number of influenza cases included in the 'presumed COVID' category of people who have COVID symptoms (which Influenza symptoms can be mistaken for), but are not tested for SARS RNA," Wittkowski told Just the News on Thursday.

Those patients, he argued, "also may have some SARS RNA sitting in their nose while being infected with Influenza, in which case the influenza would be 'confirmed' to be COVID."

Holden Maecker, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University, echoed that assessment. "I feel pretty confident that the COVID-19 mitigation measures have caused the reduction in flu cases this year," he said. "Masks, social distancing, and hand washing are all effective counter-measures against colds and flu."

Speculating on why COVID levels have continued to soar if those measures have been so effective at stopping the flu, Maecker said: "I think it's because (1) there is less pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 in the population, whereas most of us have had vaccines and/or previous bouts with flu; and (2) the SARS-CoV-2 virus seems to spread more easily than influenza, including more aerosol transmission and 'super-spreader' events. Flu transmission is almost entirely close-range droplets and hand-to-nose or eyes contact."

[mewzilla]

Anyone know if patients whonare suspected of having WuFlu are tested for both WuFlu and influenza...?

And if influenza patients can generate a positive WuFlu test result on any of the WuFlu tests?

[Boomer]

Truth tellers are now called “mavericks”?

I think not because they called McCain a maverick and he was nothing but a douchebag.

[Boomer]

Is there a test for it yet? The PCR test they’ve been using is 97% ineffective.

[Regulator]

“Masks, social distancing, and hand washing are all effective counter-measures against colds and flu”

That may be true, but having a travel ban on China means the usual Type A / B flu can’t get here this season.

May also be some of the other things mentioned but everyone is missing that rather large point: the carriers can’t get here easily right now.

[who knows what evil?]

No kidding. (rolls eyes) Take off your mask, and live normally.

[rktman]

Hmmmm. I suppose it would be silly to proclaim the end of flu due to covid kicking it’s viral butt? IS covid the new flu? Is covid attacking and killing the flu virus’? We don’t get flu shot either.

I do see an issue with so many “front line” folks saying they’re not taking the vaccine. There’s allegedly already a shortage of workers so clinics and hospitals would be hard pressed to make the vaccine a condition of employment right? For me, “MY BODY MY CHOICE!”, to re-use the pro abortion folks placards. :-)

[null and void]

Nice to see this gaining some traction...

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

The false positive rate was 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

Quarantine the sick. Protect the vulnerable. Free everyone else.

[Phillyred]

If only McStain was simply a douchebag...far worse.

[mewzilla]

There have been tests for influenza for quite a while.

Reason I’m really curious is that early on in this cluster I had an antibody test that came back positive for a current WuFu infection.

I quarantined for another week, had a PCR that came back negative.

I was asymptomatic when I was tested both times, but I had been ill a few weeks previously.

Really wonder what the heck I had.

[Swiffer_Ralf]

So can I tick my “ it’s a super flu” box or is it the “ only covid exists not flu” box

It’s do confusing ????

[Tired of Taxes]

Where have all the flu cases gone?

Nowhere. The CDC has been lying about the flu for years.

They've been combining flu & pneumonia numbers to make the number of flu deaths look larger, just so more people will get flu shots. They've been "estimating" the number of flu deaths to look much larger than it really is. That's what many of us were trying to tell everyone here when covid first broke out.

[walkingdead]

“Masks, social distancing, and hand washing are all effective counter-measures against colds and flu.”

To lump masks and social distancing in with soap, in the reduction of viruses, is idiotic. The single greatest help mankind has ever had vs these diseases, is soap. Y orders of magnitude.....

[hsmomx3]

I bet they wouldn’t because all the money to be made is via a COVID diagnosis.

[Irenic]

I can’t wait! Many stores will remove you if not masked. I would drive 50 miles to shop at a no mask grocer.

[T. P. Pole]

“Masks, social distancing, and hand washing are all effective counter-measures against colds and flu.”

And yet, we are told the reason Covid is spreading is because folks aren’t wearing masks or social distancing.

[mewzilla]

That’s a distinct possibility.

[Covenantor]

Anyone know if patients whonare suspected of having WuFlu are tested for both WuFlu and influenza...?

Here's a list of tests from Dec 28, 2020...

[Mom MD]

Some epidemiologist if he doesn’t know the difference between covid and influenza. Yes there is a difference

[who knows what evil?]

Lying and manipulating for $$$$$$$$.