Munch517
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Its overblown nonsense. People always act like the world is going to end every time someone sniffles. The reality is, the seasonal flu will kill more people this year than flu.
Its not really overblown and it will probably kill far more people than the flu this year. Information is very incomplete but the only real estimate I trust is the "uncertainty range" of 50k-5m deaths in the US alone, all these efforts to close gathering places are to ensure it's on the low end of that estimate. For whatever it's worth the deaths are pretty heavily weighted towards the elderly and those with health problems. This is going to be a thing for awhile.
Several articles from one of the most authoritative sources out there:
Why the coronavirus is different from flu and warrants major action
People who argue that flu is no bigger a problem than flu ignore the fact that we lack natural immunity and have no vaccines in our armoury
www.newscientist.com
Coronavirus: What are the worst symptoms and how deadly is covid-19?
We are starting to understand how the flu virus affects people in different ways, depending on their age and underlying health conditions
www.newscientist.com
Coronavirus: Risk of death rises with age, diabetes and heart disease
People who have the new flu are more likely to die if they are older or show signs of sepsis or blood clotting problems, suggests a study of patients in two Wuhan hospitals
www.newscientist.com
Could the new coronavirus really kill 50 million people worldwide?
No one can say for sure how widely the new flu will spread and how many it will kill because there are still many key things we don't know - not least the wider impact on healthcare services
www.newscientist.com
Full list of New Scientists' many flu articles (they're normally paid but it looks like this coverage is free):
Coronavirus news, articles and features | New Scientist
www.newscientist.com