The C.D.C. Says There Was NO INFLUENZA Worth Reporting for the 2020-2021 Flu Season.

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

If we stick to the on topic part rather than the full range of off topic conspiratorial ramblings sure I can.

Here is the advice on how to stop the spread of flu.

To reduce the risk of spreading flu:

wash your hands often with warm water and soap
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow, not into your hand)
bin used tissues as quickly as possible
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

Now if people are generally doing that far more even if they don't know they have flu that is going to have an impact. Also there was also a lot more measures in place to reduce the spread.

This is already all been explained hence my answer. You can choose not to believe it if you want but repeating the same strawmen and false claims doesn't make them true.

great, we can tackle this one at a time.

So the cure you offer is great. As long as EVERYONE follows the rules. Allow one sick person among a group of non sick folks, and your theory is smashed into tiny bits. Do you wish to state for the record that you believe that during covid, everyone followed the rules correctly?

and for the bonus, if this was the way to stop the flu, why is it not a top priority to tell everyone this and remind them often? 36,000 lives aren't all that important? That list is too costly (your claim) to do? Remember, you made the claims, I just don't believe them.

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

If we stick to the on topic part rather than the full range of off topic conspiratorial ramblings sure I can.

Here is the advice on how to stop the spread of flu.

To reduce the risk of spreading flu:

wash your hands often with warm water and soap
cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze (if you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the bend of your elbow, not into your hand)
bin used tissues as quickly as possible
Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities

Now if people are generally doing that far more even if they don't know they have flu that is going to have an impact. Also there was also a lot more measures in place to reduce the spread.

This is already all been explained hence my answer. You can choose not to believe it if you want but repeating the same strawmen and false claims doesn't make them true.

great, we can tackle this one at a time.

So the cure you offer is great. As long as EVERYONE follows the rules. Allow one sick person among a group of non sick folks, and your theory is smashed into tiny bits. Do you wish to state for the record that you believe that during covid, everyone followed the rules correctly?

and for the bonus, if this was the way to stop the flu, why is it not a top priority to tell everyone this and remind them often? 36,000 lives aren't all that important? That list is too costly (your claim) to do? Remember, you made the claims, I just don't believe them.

I don't know where you get the idea that it has to be applied 100% to work. You don't get flu every time you walk by someone carrying it. It just requires it to reduce the spread enough that it basically fizzles out.

Where I live there are regular adverts during flu season about stopping the spread. However most people would not accept the same level of restrictions that where in place during the pandemic every year for flu.

a reply to: SteamyAmerican

Search harder - I've made 100s of posts about my degree in Applied Maths, maths tutor and work as guest lecturer training medical students in maths and good scientific trial design - Also countless ones of me working with professors like David Colquhoun to create an automated system to undo the corruptive PR forces and impact agenda of Bad Science and leaked University coverups from my PR days to the press and Pharma profs in defiance of court orders.

As I've explained in my posts repeatedly over the years I can't spell due to a brain injury caused by a car running me over in Nov 2012 which destroyed my ability to write but maths/science/pharmacology hemisphere was undamaged and unnaffected.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

Tested by whom ? You mean those labs affiliated with hospitals who shared in a $9.8 Trillion in profit ?

You mean the Big Pharma labs who got money thrown at them to come up with any excuse to push the oh so profitable vaccine ?

I'll share one of many stories like this -

A man came into my wife's hospital for end of life care. He had terminal lung cancer and the nursing home he was in was not capable of treating him at that stage. End of life care is nothing more than keeping the patient as comfortable as possible with pain meds. There's nothing else you can do for them at that point. Come to find out, his room mate at the home tested positive for Covid. When he died, they told the family it was Covid related.

Another man came in with a massive heart attack. After he died, they tested for Covid. That was standard protocol at the time. Everyone who came in was tested. He tested positive and his death was labeled Covid related.

Every man and his dog was making money from Covid and if it was even suspected to be related, they made money from it. When there is that much money up for grabs, I'll trust a pissed off rattlesnake down my pants before I trust their lab results.

And let’s also not forget all the false positives the rapid test was producing. The rapid test was notorious for producing false positives.

Quick story… Two weeks prior to COVID being found in Seattle(?) and making headlines I got real sick to the point I went to the ER. I seriously felt deathly ill, fever, coughing up blood, low oxygen levels, loss of taste and a weird headache like I’d never had before, etc…. I was tested and was found to have Flu-B, Strep and Pneumonia all at the same time, ugh.

Fast forward a few years after making it unscathed from COVID while not wearing mask and no shot, I got covid w/Pnemonia. One thing I remember was getting the same weird headache and loss of taste I got from having the Flu-B, Strep and Pneumonia. I would bet the ranch that had I’d been tested for COVID the first time years prior I’m almost certain I would’ve tested positive for Covid, I had all the exact same symptoms.

In my research I found a few cases where they had flu but also tested positive for Covid, just to add it took a lot of searching to find that this had been documented. Almost as though it was intentionally being hidden. In talking to a Dr about this scenario he didn’t think it was very probable but I’m definitely not sold on the fact it’s not after hearing that the rapid Covid test was not the most accurate to say the least. Does anyone remember the Dr’s in EU testing a Kiwi fruit that read positive for COVID?

a reply to: WeMustCare

One potential reason, which has doubtless been said is that covid and flu were the same thing. How was covid mortality for ppl who were not put on respirators?

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

so can you point out where it states that everyone who went to the doctor got a flu test along with a covid test? Not sure if you understand what's going on, but that is the question I have asked a few times now. If you don't know, you can say that, but if you pretend to know, pretend to offer a link. The CDC link you gave didn't mention that part.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

so can you point out where it states that everyone who went to the doctor got a flu test along with a covid test? Not sure if you understand what's going on, but that is the question I have asked a few times now. If you don't know, you can say that, but if you pretend to know, pretend to offer a link. The CDC link you gave didn't mention that part.

I answered that in my last post.

No one is claiming that everyone got a flu test. I am not sure why you think they are?

a reply to: Boomer1947
But if you want the ACTUAL REASON, COVID is a totally fictitious disease, it was in everyone's head, those who catch the flu were called COVID CASES and that is why places like Australia were announcing that mankind had bested the flu virus just before.

These lunatics with worldwide aspirations need to (SOMETHING) before one of their evil plans goes too far and we have no way out. They will simply say, "oops!" And withdraw into their underground nuclear-safe palaces. The rest of us will be screwed. And some of you actually let people like Bill Gates who is an absolutely evil nut job, shooter you full of God knows what and I just can't understand why...

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

so can you point out where it states that everyone who went to the doctor got a flu test along with a covid test? Not sure if you understand what's going on, but that is the question I have asked a few times now. If you don't know, you can say that, but if you pretend to know, pretend to offer a link. The CDC link you gave didn't mention that part.

I answered that in my last post.

No one is claiming that everyone got a flu test. I am not sure why you think they are?

I asked because EVERYONE got a covid test. But everyone didn't get a flu test. And suddenly, everyone with flu like symptoms had covid and almost NOBODY had the flu. I don't claim to be a smart man, but based on those facts, that it seems are factual, it's very possible that the flu didn't really go anywhere, and perhaps not everyone who had "covid" really had covid, but instead had flu, just like they have in previous years.

OR

without testing for the flu, we were able to remove positive results from record, and covid was such a successful lab virus that it took the flu, whipped it's ass, and sent it packing, until we started testing for flu again. If you look at this from a neutral perspective, you might start to see the flaw in your non-thinking.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

so can you point out where it states that everyone who went to the doctor got a flu test along with a covid test? Not sure if you understand what's going on, but that is the question I have asked a few times now. If you don't know, you can say that, but if you pretend to know, pretend to offer a link. The CDC link you gave didn't mention that part.

I answered that in my last post.

No one is claiming that everyone got a flu test. I am not sure why you think they are?

I asked because EVERYONE got a covid test. But everyone didn't get a flu test. And suddenly, everyone with flu like symptoms had covid and almost NOBODY had the flu. I don't claim to be a smart man, but based on those facts, that it seems are factual, it's very possible that the flu didn't really go anywhere, and perhaps not everyone who had "covid" really had covid, but instead had flu, just like they have in previous years.

OR

without testing for the flu, we were able to remove positive results from record, and covid was such a successful lab virus that it took the flu, whipped it's ass, and sent it packing, until we started testing for flu again. If you look at this from a neutral perspective, you might start to see the flaw in your non-thinking.

At no point has the annual flu figure been a tally of everyone who had the flu. It's an estimate based the actual confirmed cases. That has always only been a proportion of the total cases.

From the laboratory flu tests there was a much lower rate of positive tests. The number was so low that it wasn't possible to provide an estimate for that season. There are a couple of possible explanations for this but given it's overlap with measures designed to stop the spread of viruses it seems that is highly likely to be the main factor.

It has nothing to do with the Covid tests. If someone tested positive for Covid then they had Covid. Could they have flu as well, absolutely. But given how rare the positive tests for flu were it doesn't seem that likely.

If you look at the number of lab tests done it's broadly in line with the previous season so there was no conspiracy not to test for flu.

originally posted by: bastion
a reply to: SteamyAmerican

Search harder - I've made 100s of posts about my degree in Applied Maths, maths tutor and work as guest lecturer training medical students in maths and good scientific trial design - Also countless ones of me working with professors like David Colquhoun to create an automated system to undo the corruptive PR forces and impact agenda of Bad Science and leaked University coverups from my PR days to the press and Pharma profs in defiance of court orders.

As I've explained in my posts repeatedly over the years I can't spell due to a brain injury caused by a car running me over in Nov 2012 which destroyed my ability to write but maths/science/pharmacology hemisphere was undamaged and unnaffected.

Sorry to hear about your injury.

Unfortunately, related or not, your ability to discern “bad science” and “corruptive PR forces” is clearly lacking.

The push by the CDC, NIH, Pfizer, Fauci, et al, is clearly the largest medical scam and diabolical governmental practice enacted on innocent citizens I can think of.

Also. There is such a thing as spell check.

But you know this.

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

so can you point out where it states that everyone who went to the doctor got a flu test along with a covid test? Not sure if you understand what's going on, but that is the question I have asked a few times now. If you don't know, you can say that, but if you pretend to know, pretend to offer a link. The CDC link you gave didn't mention that part.

I answered that in my last post.

No one is claiming that everyone got a flu test. I am not sure why you think they are?

I asked because EVERYONE got a covid test. But everyone didn't get a flu test. And suddenly, everyone with flu like symptoms had covid and almost NOBODY had the flu. I don't claim to be a smart man, but based on those facts, that it seems are factual, it's very possible that the flu didn't really go anywhere, and perhaps not everyone who had "covid" really had covid, but instead had flu, just like they have in previous years.

OR

without testing for the flu, we were able to remove positive results from record, and covid was such a successful lab virus that it took the flu, whipped it's ass, and sent it packing, until we started testing for flu again. If you look at this from a neutral perspective, you might start to see the flaw in your non-thinking.

At no point has the annual flu figure been a tally of everyone who had the flu. It's an estimate based the actual confirmed cases. That has always only been a proportion of the total cases.

From the laboratory flu tests there was a much lower rate of positive tests. The number was so low that it wasn't possible to provide an estimate for that season. There are a couple of possible explanations for this but given it's overlap with measures designed to stop the spread of viruses it seems that is highly likely to be the main factor.

It has nothing to do with the Covid tests. If someone tested positive for Covid then they had Covid. Could they have flu as well, absolutely. But given how rare the positive tests for flu were it doesn't seem that likely.

If you look at the number of lab tests done it's broadly in line with the previous season so there was no conspiracy not to test for flu.

the push to identify everything as covid is the point you can't grasp. Rather than reply to what you think I meant, why not reply to what words I typed. I first said they didn't give flu tests but everyone got a covid test.

in fact, here are my words:

so you have proof they were testing for the flu during that time?

you used lab test data, but that's not the rapid tests that everyone got for covid. And you even admit that they don't tally the flu numbers like that. So while you continue to prove my point then argue against it, you seem confused as to what you are even saying here.

Again, it's my position that they called everything covid, and many many people who just had the flu, were counted as covid, which made the unrealistic flu numbers exist. And rather than just admit that make more sense that some wild story, you want for the wild story about how because some of us washed our hands, distanced, and wore bullsh!t t-shirt masks, we removed the bulk of the flu from the earth. You can believe whatever you want, but so can the rest of us, and on it's face, your ideas are wrong and sad.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: BedevereTheWise

originally posted by: SteamyAmerican

originally posted by: network dude
a reply to: BedevereTheWise

such a weak response. Why not explain what part I got wrong. can't do it?

Of course not. Still waiting for the CDC’s response to not reporting the flu to be explained in way that makes sense while at the same time they pushed Covid protocols like the $-making machine it was.

Still waiting actually.

Same with my other responses. Kinda funny.

Their handle should be TheAntagonistic or, TheDeeplyObstinate, or TheBlatantlyObtuse.

Maybe TheWillflullyIgnorant.

Has already been covered repeatedly.

Not enough confirmed cases to create a reliable estimate.

so the flu tests that were given to every sick person would differentiate between covid and the flu?

Nope and no one has ever claimed they did.

They did however still do flu tests which showed a very low instance of flu. One of the reasons why they couldn't estimate overall flu cases.

so can you point out where it states that everyone who went to the doctor got a flu test along with a covid test? Not sure if you understand what's going on, but that is the question I have asked a few times now. If you don't know, you can say that, but if you pretend to know, pretend to offer a link. The CDC link you gave didn't mention that part.

I answered that in my last post.

No one is claiming that everyone got a flu test. I am not sure why you think they are?

I asked because EVERYONE got a covid test. But everyone didn't get a flu test. And suddenly, everyone with flu like symptoms had covid and almost NOBODY had the flu. I don't claim to be a smart man, but based on those facts, that it seems are factual, it's very possible that the flu didn't really go anywhere, and perhaps not everyone who had "covid" really had covid, but instead had flu, just like they have in previous years.

OR

without testing for the flu, we were able to remove positive results from record, and covid was such a successful lab virus that it took the flu, whipped it's ass, and sent it packing, until we started testing for flu again. If you look at this from a neutral perspective, you might start to see the flaw in your non-thinking.

At no point has the annual flu figure been a tally of everyone who had the flu. It's an estimate based the actual confirmed cases. That has always only been a proportion of the total cases.

From the laboratory flu tests there was a much lower rate of positive tests. The number was so low that it wasn't possible to provide an estimate for that season. There are a couple of possible explanations for this but given it's overlap with measures designed to stop the spread of viruses it seems that is highly likely to be the main factor.

It has nothing to do with the Covid tests. If someone tested positive for Covid then they had Covid. Could they have flu as well, absolutely. But given how rare the positive tests for flu were it doesn't seem that likely.

If you look at the number of lab tests done it's broadly in line with the previous season so there was no conspiracy not to test for flu.

the push to identify everything as covid is the point you can't grasp. Rather than reply to what you think I meant, why not reply to what words I typed. I first said they didn't give flu tests but everyone got a covid test.

in fact, here are my words:

so you have proof they were testing for the flu during that time?

you used lab test data, but that's not the rapid tests that everyone got for covid. And you even admit that they don't tally the flu numbers like that. So while you continue to prove my point then argue against it, you seem confused as to what you are even saying here.

Again, it's my position that they called everything covid, and many many people who just had the flu, were counted as covid, which made the unrealistic flu numbers exist. And rather than just admit that make more sense that some wild story, you want for the wild story about how because some of us washed our hands, distanced, and wore bullsh!t t-shirt masks, we removed the bulk of the flu from the earth. You can believe whatever you want, but so can the rest of us, and on it's face, your ideas are wrong and sad.

Yes they aren't the rapid tests, why would they be and what relevance does that have to showing the low number of flu cases?

It doesn't proof your point at all as it shows, despite your earlier claim, that they continued to conduct tests for flu the same as previous years. Those tests showed a very low instance of flu. That's isn't a wild story that is what the numbers show.

While you are right on most everything here i have to point out a few things.

Sars-cov2 aka covid 19 comes from the coronavirus family of viruses and has a repoduction of around 2.6. With a high of 6.68 not 8.

www.bmj.com...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

Even with a significant amount of hand washing, cleaning, masking and social distancing. Influenza aka flu did not disappear entirely.
Its more likely that since there was incentives to diagnose people with covid19 other diseases were underreported or misdiagnosed as covid19.
The possibility that people had covid19 and the flu or cold also is a factor. This means that influenza would less likely be reported as again the whole incentive structure.


Influenza aka the flu has one of about 2 as you said. With the newer lower end being at around 1.2 1.3

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov...

bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com...

a reply to: Boomer1947

I am VERY sceptical of the government's numbers!!!

Who knows what it really up?

originally posted by: Boomer1947

originally posted by: WeMustCare
Monday, December 30, 2024

Normally, the United States averages 18,000,000 (18 million) cases of influenza per year.

Look at the year-to-year chart at this Centers for Disease Control (CDC) webpage: www.cdc.gov...

For the 2020-2021 flu season, there is no "pyramid" showing the number of flu cases/hospitalizations/deaths. Immediately below that chart it says:

Estimates are not available for the 2020-2021 season due to minimal flu activity.

That is ASTOUNDING!

I've heard that Covid-19 prevented some people from contracting the FLU, but how did Covid-19 completely erase influenza from the U.S. landscape from October 2020 to May 2021, the 2020-2021 Flu Season?

Is there a scientific or medical reason how Covid-19 could completely remove Influenza from the U.S., when each year typically brings 18 million cases?

-WeMustCare 😨

This has been explained numerous times before. But the explanation requires some understanding of mathematics. If you can't understand mathematical reasoning, you won't get it. Here's how it goes:

Let's suppose some people in the population have been infected with some transmissible, disease-causing microorganism (virus, bacterium, fungus, whatever). If--during the time they are contagious--they transmit that microorganism to more than one other person, on the average, the contagion in the population will grow. If they give the infection to two other people, for example, and each of those gives it to two other people and so on, the epidemic in the population will grow exponentially. On the other hand, if each infected person gives the infection to less than one other person, on the average, the contagion will quickly die out. The number of people that an average person transmits an infection to is called the reproduction number, or R.

Many people who have no knowledge of microbiology (which is most of the population, actually) seem to assume without any evidence that all infections are equally transmissible. That is very far from being true. Some microorganisms are much, much more easily transmissible than others. In 2020-2021, for example, it was many times easier to transmit the Covid virus from person to person than it was the influenza virus and the common cold virus (which are not one and the same). The reproduction number for Covid was around 8 or so (sometimes higher), while the number for influenza was less than 2. In part, that's because the influenza virus has been around in the human population much, much longer than the Covid virus and people have developed more resistance to it. The Covid virus at that time was what is called a novel virus. That means that the vast majority of the population had never been exposed to it before.

Let's say you practice social distancing, mask wearing, and hand washing and by doing that you manage to cut the probability of transmission of an infectious microorganism in half. For the Covid virus that would mean that every infected person would infect "only" 4 other people instead of 8. That's nice; it would slow the spread of Covid but it certainly would not stop it because the reproduction number would still be greater than 1. But if all that social distancing, mask wearing, and hand washing cut the probability of the spread of influenza virus in half, it would go from an R value of a bit less than 2 to something less than 1. That means that influenza infections would quickly die out in the population.

That's what happened. All the efforts that resulted in slowing the spread of Covid resulted in extinguishing the spread of less contagious microorganisms. By 2022, when people mostly decided that the Covid Pandemic was over and stopped all the social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing, influenza came back.

This is Epidemiology 101, and was figured out many decades ago.

Where was Influenza "hiding" and why did it literally explode back on the scene in 2022, instead of coming back more gradually? The hygiene precautions didn't go away suddenly. Here in 2025 I still see masks, and people opening doors using their coat sleeve.