Ray Barishansky, Pennsylvania's deputy secretary of health preparedness and community protection, speaks during an online news briefing on May 28, 2021.
Obviouly a chronic MASKERBATOR.
Posted on 05/28/2021 1:28:49 PM PDT by lightman
Pennsylvania logged only 21 flu-related deaths and fewer than 4,000 confirmed cases during the recently-ended flu season, state officials said Friday.
Those are far fewer than a normal flu season, when up to 2,000 Pennsylvanians die after coming down with the flu. Only 45 people were hospitalized with the flu during Pennsylvania’s flu season, which officially ended on May 22.
Officials attribute the decline to a record number of people getting vaccinated against the flu as well as tactics used to prevent spread of COVID-19, such as face masks, frequent hand washing, staying home and refraining from shaking hands.
Those tactics proved so effective that people who know they have flu in the future might want to put on a face mask and avoid handshakes, said Ray Barishansky, the state’s deputy secretary of health preparedness and community protection.
Barishansky said steps “including mask-wearing are things that we should contemplate, personally, as we move forward after COVID-19.”
He noted Pennsylvania has no plans to require face masks in response to flu outbreaks.
Barishansky said “I don’t believe it’s possible” that any flu cases and deaths were counted among COVID-19 infections and deaths in Pennsylvania.
He noted there are separate tests for each disease. When people with symptoms of either sought medical care, health care providers were supposed to test them for both, Barishansky said.
As of Friday, Pennsylvania has about 1.2 million cases of COVID-19 and 27,187 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
Citing statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Barishansky said a record 193.8 million doses of flu vaccine were distributed during the recent flu season. That tops the previous record of about 176 million, he said.
Flu season officially lasts from Sept. 27 until May 22 in Pennsylvania.
Barishansky said the state health department doesn’t track flu shots given in the state, and he therefore had no specific number for Pennsylvania.
Flu cases as well as colds and similar illnesses dropped off all over the United States during the pandemic, with much of it attributed to factors such as people working from home and schools being closed.
Health experts cite a potential downside: Normal exposure causes people to build immunity, even through exposure that doesn’t make them sick. It’s possible the lack of recent exposure will cause the illnesses to roar back after life returns to normal.
Ray Barishansky, Pennsylvania's deputy secretary of health preparedness and community protection, speaks during an online news briefing on May 28, 2021.
Obviouly a chronic MASKERBATOR.
Pennsylvania Ping!
Please ping me with articles of interest.
FReepmail me to be added to the list.
COVID-19 is the flu.
People are free to wear a diaper on their head if they want, I dont care, just dont force anyone to do the same.
As of Friday, Pennsylvania has about 1.2 million cases of COVID-19 and 27,187 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
````````````````
The mental gymnastics are staggering. So masks, distancing, etc prevented flu, but not COVID-19?
And I head gloves are effective against hangnails so...
Only N95 masks work..
And the elephant in every room.
Ronald Reagan was right, a government program, even temporary, is the closest thing to eternity in this world. Masks and quarantines forever!
Masks and quarantines forever!
Masks and quarantines forever!
Masks and quarantines forever!
The flu goes marching on!
Per the CDC...
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm
“Outpatient Illness: ILINet
The percentage of patient visits to a health care provider for influenza-like illness (ILI) in week 20 was 1.3%, remaining stable (±0.1%) compared to week 19. Nationally, ILI remains below the national baseline of 2.6%. ILI surveillance may be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and should be interpreted with caution.”
COVID pays...Flu doesn't.
I was talking to a hospital CEO yesterday and he said the same thing. I just shook my head in disbelief.
Oh, please. They’re both viruses…so your sacred mask somehow knows how to distinguish between them, letting people get Covid but blocking the flu?
The secret, of course, was simply not testing (the symptoms and immediate cause of death would be the same) or ignoring the cases in which people had both Covid (a cold) and the flu.
Also, most people simply didn’t go to the doctor if they were sick because they didn’t want to get caught up in the Covid restrictions, so they just took over the counter medications as usual. I bet you’d see that sales of Coricidin and other OTC severe cold and flu relief medications were through the roof.
It has little or nothing to do with wearing masks.
People are free to wear a diaper on their head if they want, I dont care, just dont force anyone to do the same.
Bingo. It is not uncommon for me to see folks of asian descent wear masks during cold and flu season prior to the Wuhan. If folks want to wear masks during flu season go for it...Heck I might even keep one around if people starting hacking and spewing....
But to mandate it? naw....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.