As the USA crosses 100,000 recorded covid-19 deaths, many people are incorrectly equating that figure to the estimated 100,000 dead in the 1968 pandemic and wondering why the world didn’t stop then. But it’s apples and oranges, folks….
The 100,000-number for 1968 is an after-the-fact excess mortality figure, not deaths recorded in hospitals. The 1968 pandemic was relatively mild, as many people had immunity because of the 1957 pandemic. Hospital deaths were much lower than 100,000...
Similarly, the 2009 swine flu pandemic is now estimated to have caused 12,500 deaths. That’s SIX times higher than recorded hospital deaths. So when the people read about this pandemic in history books 50 years from now, they will see a much higher number....
Will be it be double or triple or even higher? No one knows, but early indications are it will be significantly higher. That’s why the impact on our society is so much greater than in 1968. Americans weren’t tougher then; they just had a weaker pandemic. ...
For more information —> washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/…
