We'll never know how many people have had this virus and fought it off without developing serious symptoms......just like we'll never know how many did the same with the flu.
My money's on this new virus being much deadlier than the flu. Follow the science.
I think it's too early to say if covid 19 will turn out to be deadlier than the flu. Some things to keep in mind:
According to the CDC, through 3/21/20, the flu this season has afflicted 39 million Americans, put 400,000 in the hospital and killed 23,000. Probably a pretty big percentage of the hospitalized and dead are senior citizens with one or more comorbidities. This, in spite of the fact that we have herd immunity to the flu, plus flu vaccines and, I believe, some flu treatments.
What would the flu deaths be if we had no herd immunity, no vaccines and no treatments? With 39 million afflicted. Who knows, but I would be willing to bet that the number would be a hell of a lot higher than 23,000.
We currently have no herd immunity, no vaccines and, maybe, no treatments for covid 19. They are working with some malaria drugs, and hopefully they will work out. Because they haven't been exposed regularly most of their lives to covid 19 and can't get an annual covid 19 vaccine, senior citizens, especially those with health problems, are taking a real hit with covid 19. Interestingly, the flu seems to be more dangerous to younger people than covid 19. According to CDC, 155 pediatric patients have died from the flu this year.
We won't really be in a position to compare covid 19 to the flu until we build up a herd immunity and develop a vaccine. Once those two things happen, then we can make valid comparisons. Hopefully, after we develop herd immunity and can get vaccines, the covid 19 will turn out to be less deadly than the flu. Just my take on this.
