Thread by @jeremyrhammond

The total number of hospitalizations in 2020 "with" (not necessarily FOR) #COVID19 is within the range of annual hospitalizations FOR #influenza estimated by the CDC. (Thread continues...)

h/t Marjorie, a member of my reader community

The CDC estimates between 140,000 and 810,000 hospitalizations occur annually for flu (it's a range because numbers vary widely year to year).
cdc.gov/flu/about/burd…

This December 30 @nytimes article states that "more than 670,000 Americans have been hospitalized with the disease this year".

(Note the precise "with" not "for" there.)

nytimes.com/2020/12/30/opi…

I checked the source and confirmed that, according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project, there were 686,158 accumulated hospitalizations "with" COVID-19 in 2020.
covidtracking.com/data/national

We should keep in mind that these numbers include both individuals who were admitted into the hospital for symptoms of COVID-19 and individuals who were there for whatever other reason, got tested, and received a positive result.

Comparing the 686,158 hospitalizations with COVID-19 for 2020 and the CDC's estimate of up to 810,000 hospitalizations annually for influenza, it appears that the disease burden was comparable to a bad flu season.

Indeed, as I've previously written, three years ago, during the 2017-2018 flu season, there were headlines in the news media across the country about hospitals being overwhelmed. It happens.
jeremyrhammond.com/2020/12/22/rem…

To preempt the objection: I keep seeing criticisms from #lockdown advocates that opponents are "downplaying" #COVID19 severity. But to share a few pieces of data to put the situation into perspective in response to the incessant #fearmongering isn't to downplay anything.