What happened to the flu?

Dr. Eric Topol tweeted a chart created by Max Roser and Our World in Data showing a timeline when the viruses for various illnesses were identified and when a vaccine was available. Topol wrote:

Just think where we'd be right now if —We didn't have very successful vaccines —That it took 1 year instead of an average 8 yrs —That #SARSCoV2's spike protein proved to be a great target, unlike 7 vaccine programs that have thus far failed.

Those seven for which we do not yet have a vaccine are malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, Zika fever, mononucleosis, Ebola, and AIDS. As for those for which we do have a vaccine many took a lot longer than eight years to develop. That we got this one in a year is a blessing. When I visited my doctor in January she asked if I wanted the flu shot. I said no. Since I spend a lot of time alone I don’t get a flu shot. I told my doctor that since I’m wearing my mask in public to protect me from COVID it is also protecting me from flu. She said you go to the grocery, don’t you? But she didn’t push it. Dr. Sam Ghali says I’m right, tweeting:

Serious question: If masks and social distancing don’t work, then what the hell happened to the flu?

Aldous Pennyfarthing of Daily Kos expanded on that, including a quote from the Associated Press:

Flu has virtually disappeared from the U.S., with reports coming in at far lower levels than anything seen in decades. Experts say that measures put in place to fend off the coronavirus — mask wearing, social distancing and virtual schooling — were a big factor in preventing a “twindemic” of flu and COVID-19. A push to get more people vaccinated against flu probably helped, too, as did fewer people traveling, they say. ... Nationally, “this is the lowest flu season we’ve had on record,” according to a surveillance system that is about 25 years old, said Lynnette Brammer of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lauren Weber, a Midwest correspondent for KHNews tweeted:

INVESTIGATION: Covid vaccination registration websites at the federal, state and local levels violate disability rights laws, hindering the ability of blind people to sign up for lifesaving vaccine. Even @CDCgov's embattled VAMS system is inaccessible. ... When blind people use the internet, they have software called screen readers read the text aloud to them. If websites are not programmed properly, the software cannot read them aloud -- leaving blind people unable to register for #COVID19 vaccines.

The Michigan news on Michigan Radio said Gov. Whitmer is loosening restrictions again, allowing such things as restaurants to offer indoor dining at 50% capacity, up from 25%. That doesn’t seem wise to me and I’ll be avoiding eating in restaurants for a while longer. Leah McElrath of Houston linked to an article in the Houston Chronicle as she tweeted:

Yesterday, it was announced Houston is the first US city to record all major strains of the COVID-19 virus Today, the Texas governor announced he's mandating full re-opening and ending the mask mandate. You'll have blood on your hands, @GovAbbott.

A reply suggested a better wording of the last sentence: You'll have more blood on your hands. I had written of a Plan B to replace the part of the virus relief bill to raise the minimum wage which was declared out of line by the Senate parliamentarian. Emily Cochrane, Congressional reporter for the New York Times, tweeted that Sens. Ron Wyden and Bernie Sanders, champions of the alternate plan, have pulled the plug. This decision was made because of the need to get the rest of the bill passed before unemployment benefits run out on March 14. Elizabeth Warren tweeted that she, Rep. Jayapal, and Rep. Boyle are introducing a wealth tax bill. She did it because billionaire wealth is now 40% higher now than when the COVID crisis began. The tax would generate $3 trillion. Warren’s conclusion:

A #WealthTax is critical for raising revenue, and that revenue is critical for raising opportunity. We build a future for all of our kids by investing in opportunity. This is one way we can make this government work for everyone – not just the rich and powerful.

The nasty guy gave a speech at the CPAC conference, which I mentioned before. Kerry Eleveld of Kos reported that during his speech he called for a purge of the disloyal, all of the Congressional GOP who opposed him – 10 in the House, 7 in the Senate. As part of that effort he has started a Save America PAC, which already has tens of millions of cash ready to give to candidates who pass his personal loyalty test. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois was one of those who voted against the nasty guy. He’s also forming a PAC and this one will donate to candidates who prove willing to oppose the nasty guy. The GOP has a couple rocky years ahead. True Blue Majority on Kos asked readers what does CPAC stand for … wrong answers only. The official meaning is Conservative Political Action Conference. Some of the answers were: Colored People Ain’t Coming Come Plan Another Coup Corrupt Politicians Are Congratulated Competent Politicians Are Censured Casually Passing Around COVID Of course, commenters to this post offer many more. Some are not fit for me to repeat. McElrath tweeted:

Our rightful desire for elected officials to be good people is at odds with the degree of inauthenticity required to succeed in politics and the character traits necessary to maintain such inauthenticity for an extended period. Outliers exist, but it’s a structural dilemma. The self-selection process by which people reach higher office in our current system leaves us with leaders with relatively high capacities for and comfort levels with manipulative, deceitful behavior. Those behaviors then reflect systemic hierarchies within which they operate.