Why did the flu kill 80,000 Americans last year?

[signalmankenneth]

The 2017-2018 flu season was historically severe. Public health officials estimate that 900,000 Americans were hospitalized and 80,000 diedfrom the flu and its complications. For comparison, the previous worst season from the past decade, 2010-2011, saw 56,000 deaths. In a typical season, 30,000 Americans die.

So why was the 2017-2018 season such a bad year for flu? There were two big factors.

First, one of the circulating strains of the influenza virus, A(H3N2), is particularly virulent, and vaccines targeting it are less effective than those aimed at other strains. In addition, most of the vaccine produced was mismatched to the circulating A(H3N2) subtype.

These problems reflect the special biology of the influenza virus and the methods by which vaccines are produced.

https://theconversation.com/why-did-...st-year-105095

[Jack]

Thinning the Herd?

[Irish Exit]

Oh, God. If you have ever had the real flu and not just a cold/infection people generically call the flu, you will always hurt just remembering it.

[Jack]

I guess I haven't had it.
I did have pneumonia once, that was fucked up.

[Text Drivers are Killers]

Big Pharma always exaggerates these numbers so they can sell more flu shots.

[Loving91390]

Big Pharma always exaggerates these numbers so they can sell more flu shots.

That's right ... They use those in hospitals for other illness's who contract the flu and die , when it was the other illness that killed them .

[Fentoine Lum]

Thinning the Herd?

Meh, little people, who needs 'em. A few worker bees we can abuse should cover it now, we'll taper off from there, Bezos is on it.