Ed Corona Virus Conspiracy Theories....

[The Moog]

Influenza hasn't disappeared. It simply has been denied transmission vectors on a large scale because people are observing measures to avoid the transmission of a more dangerous virus. What is so esoteric about that?

Its interesting that measures taken to reduce transmission of infection have reduced transmission of many infectious diseases.
Who could have imagined.

 

[Tom Palven]

Influenza hasn't disappeared. It simply has been denied transmission vectors on a large scale because people are observing measures to avoid the transmission of a more dangerous virus. What is so esoteric about that?

For some, probably erroneous, reason, I don't find that explanation to be the least bit plausible, that CV-19 can mutate and spread while flu totally disappears.

 

[Pixel42]

Fair enough, but by the same token, I don't find explanations for the complete disappearance of seasonal flu, which, as you know, was treated by vaccinations for new strains every year, to be plausible.

What is implausible about "cases of an existing infectious illness have been drastically reduced by measures taken to reduce the transmission of a new infectious illness" You know such measures will reduce cases of all infectious diseases, right?

And I've heard a rumor that deaths attributed to cancer and heart disease have been reported to have gone down as those attributed to Covid have gone up, which seems suspicious, but consider me to be a conspiracy nut, because I don't have a link to provide, even if it were allowed.

Look at the graph I posted again. "Other cause" deaths (which include cancer and heart disease) have remained about the same. The Covid 19 deaths are in addition.

 

[Pixel42]

For some, probably erroneous, reason, I don't find that explanation to be the least bit plausible, that CV-19 can mutate and spread while flu totally disappears.

Yes, your reasoning is erroneous. Both diseases mutate and spread. Transmission of both is reduced by the measures that have been taken. You need to look at the differences between the two diseases rather than the similarities to understand the difference in outcome.

 

[Steve]

For some, probably erroneous, reason, I don't find that explanation to be the least bit plausible, that CV-19 can mutate and spread while flu totally disappears.

What do you mean by "some.....reason"? Do you have a reason?

Has anyone claimed that influenza has "totally disappeared? The observation seems to be that it is much reduced.

 

[Aridas]

What is implausible about "cases of an existing infectious illness have been drastically reduced by measures taken to reduce the transmission of a new infectious illness" You know such measures will reduce cases of all infectious diseases, right?

To quibble slightly with this statement, it will reduce cases of all infectious diseases with transmission routes affected by the measures in question. Measures to reduce respiratory spread will certainly affect both influenza and Covid-19, of course.

 

[Tom Palven]

What do you mean by "some.....reason"? Do you have a reason?

Has anyone claimed that influenza has "totally disappeared? The observation seems to be that it is much reduced.

"Statistics show flu numbers are not only very low, they might be the lowest seasonal numbers in recorded history. In the last flu season, from 2019 to 2020, the CDC recorded 38,000,000 flu cases in the U.S., 405,000 were hospitalized, and 22,000 deaths from the virus.
What happened to flu season?’ Doctors say flu cases are lowest i…"

I'm not allowed to provide a link, yet, but just google "CDC flu."

 

[Steve]

"Statistics show flu numbers are not only very low, they might be the lowest seasonal numbers in recorded history. In the last flu season, from 2019 to 2020, the CDC recorded 38,000,000 flu cases in the U.S., 405,000 were hospitalized, and 22,000 deaths from the virus.
What happened to flu season?’ Doctors say flu cases are lowest i…"

I'm not allowed to provide a link, yet, but just google "CDC flu."

So not "totally disappeared" as per your earlier post. Thank you. Perhaps you did not find the "explanation to be the least bit plausible" is because the explanation was not as you stated.

If you stick around you will find that accuracy is expected in this forum, and hyperbole is frowned upon.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

I didn't call it a hoax because I don't think this was centrally-planned, but was a confluence of interests, including a panic-porn-loving press.

It smelled fishy from the beginning, with vague references to pangolins and Chinese weapons labs, etc.

As a newbie, I can't submit links, but for starters, I would suggest that you google C.diff (Clostrid1um difficile), and note how differently nursing home and hospice care deaths with late C. diff are reported as compared to alleged CV-19 deaths.

The "fishy" references you cite were theories at the "brainstorming" level very early on or outright xenophobic hysteria.

Why would those serve to discredit good, rigorously tested data?

You've thrown the baby out with the bath water.

If the presence of some early guesses (and outright fabrications) dissuades you from believing anything about an event unfolding in real time, how have you come to believe anything at all?

 

[Resume]

For some, probably erroneous, reason, I don't find that explanation to be the least bit plausible, that CV-19 can mutate and spread while flu totally disappears.

One is more contagious than the other. Can you guess which?

This one too.

 

[bruto]

For some, probably erroneous, reason, I don't find that explanation to be the least bit plausible, that CV-19 can mutate and spread while flu totally disappears.

It would make perfect sense if you were to realize that Covid-19 is not flu. You then might realize that it makes perfect sense that generalized measures against Covid spread have the peripheral benefit of working even better against flu.

 

[Foster Zygote]

For some, probably erroneous, reason, I don't find that explanation to be the least bit plausible, that CV-19 can mutate and spread while flu totally disappears.

You're making an argument from personal incredulity. The answer to the question that you aren't really asking is that not all pathogens are equally contagious. Ebola was (is) deadly, but the strain that emerged a while back was not easy to pass from person to person. The seasonal influenza strains we're accustomed to are considerably less infectious than COVID19.

This leads back to my earlier point - the one you've ignored. If we are to erroneously assume that all pathogens are equally transmissible, then we are led to conclude that literally millions of health experts the world over should be well aware of the same anomaly that you think you've discovered, and therefore that they are all complicit in hiding the truth about COVID19's nature. Either that, or you and other conspiracy theorists with no expertise in infectious diseases are simply far smarter than all of them.

Most large-scale conspiracy theories collapse inward upon themselves in this very way. They're basically gnostic cults that let their adherents imagine that they know a big secret that most people are too dim and complacent to discern - that they are among an intellectual elite too clever to be fooled. But the truth is that they simply assume that they already possesses all the intelligence and qualifications to render a judgement, when in fact they don't know enough about the subject to do so. They don't ask themselves, "what don't I understand about this subject - what do I need to learn?". That's where arguments from personal incredulity come from.

 

[Foster Zygote]

"Statistics show flu numbers are not only very low, they might be the lowest seasonal numbers in recorded history. In the last flu season, from 2019 to 2020, the CDC recorded 38,000,000 flu cases in the U.S., 405,000 were hospitalized, and 22,000 deaths from the virus.
What happened to flu season?’ Doctors say flu cases are lowest i…"

I'm not allowed to provide a link, yet, but just google "CDC flu."

Also from your source:

"Some doctors believe the low numbers could be attributed to mask wearing and staying away from people. Others theorize a benefit stems from the push to get the flu shot and the lack of international travel. (Typically seasonal flu strains originate in Southeast Asia, according to doctors, but flu numbers are low there, too.)"

"Dr. Pottinger partially credits the flu shot. As of Christmas Day, 192.3 million doses of flu vaccine had been given to people in the U.S., which is the most ever delivered."

 

[Tom Palven]

The "fishy" references you cite were theories at the "brainstorming" level very early on or outright xenophobic hysteria.

Why would those serve to discredit good, rigorously tested data?

My skepticism may have begun with the reading of The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer, 1951.

As mentioned earlier, Christian sects recognize over 10,000 Saints who, after authorities have allegedly rigorously examined data, have been proven to have performed at least two miracles.

I submit to you that if you can explain the political and economic circumstances that led to the fact that over 2 billion people today say they believe that an angel hovered over The Virgin Mary, causing her to give birth to The Son of God who died for our sins, that it will go a long way to explaining why millions of people are True Believers in this new mass movement: Resistors of the Covid Plague.

 

[Trebuchet]

My cousin is dead, and you're an idiot.

 

[EvilBiker]

"Statistics show flu numbers are not only very low, they might be the lowest seasonal numbers in recorded history. In the last flu season, from 2019 to 2020, the CDC recorded 38,000,000 flu cases in the U.S., 405,000 were hospitalized, and 22,000 deaths from the virus.
What happened to flu season?’ Doctors say flu cases are lowest i…"

I'm not allowed to provide a link, yet, but just google "CDC flu."

As others have said, and from your own source, flu has not totally disappeared.

Have you perhaps considered that due to the lockdowns world-wide, and extra precautions taken due to COVID, the flu has not had the same chance to spread as usual?

There are many different strains of the flu virus nowadays. Flu vaccines are modified every year to target the most dominant strains from the previous season.

I’ve had the flu a few times in my life, and it’s nasty. I have, however, never had it again since I started taking yearly vaccinations.

 

[Foster Zygote]

My skepticism may have begun with the reading of The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer, 1951.

As mentioned earlier, Christian sects recognize over 10,000 Saints who, after authorities have allegedly rigorously examined data, have been proven to have performed at least two miracles.

I submit to you that if you can explain the political and economic circumstances that led to the fact that over 2 billion people today say they believe that an angel hovered over The Virgin Mary, causing her to give birth to The Son of God who died for our sins, that it will go a long way to explaining why millions of people are True Believers in this new mass movement: Resistors of the Covid Plague.

Religious superstition ≠ medical science.

Your analogy is ridiculous.

 

[Carrot Flower King]

My skepticism may have begun with the reading of The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer, 1951.

As mentioned earlier, Christian sects recognize over 10,000 Saints who, after authorities have allegedly rigorously examined data, have been proven to have performed at least two miracles.

I submit to you that if you can explain the political and economic circumstances that led to the fact that over 2 billion people today say they believe that an angel hovered over The Virgin Mary, causing her to give birth to The Son of God who died for our sins, that it will go a long way to explaining why millions of people are True Believers in this new mass movement: Resistors of the Covid Plague.

Aaaaah, the 5 million flies argument...

Personally, I'll stick with some actual scientific, repeatable evidence, y'know like the sort which showed my sister was flattened by Covid and that her hospital was closed to new admissions because it was over-run by folk testing positive for Covid. No "saints" nor "gods" nor "angels" (although The Sister is a general nurse) need to be involved, even if they existed.

 

[Pixel42]

My skepticism may have begun with the reading of The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer, 1951.

As mentioned earlier, Christian sects recognize over 10,000 Saints who, after authorities have allegedly rigorously examined data, have been proven to have performed at least two miracles.

I submit to you that if you can explain the political and economic circumstances that led to the fact that over 2 billion people today say they believe that an angel hovered over The Virgin Mary, causing her to give birth to The Son of God who died for our sins, that it will go a long way to explaining why millions of people are True Believers in this new mass movement: Resistors of the Covid Plague.

Some people believe stuff that is almost certainly not true, therefore people who believe stuff that is almost certainly true must be wrong?

 

[Tom Palven]

Have you perhaps considered that due to the lockdowns world-wide, and extra precautions taken due to COVID, the flu has not had the same chance to spread as usual?

I guess that's possible, but CV-19 didn't spread everywhere at once, and is still spreading, and the flu is not being reported from, virtually, anywhere.

BTW, my wife and I visited Sturgis, SD, about two weeks after the motorcycle rally last August and had a beer in a brew pub on Harley Davidson Blvd.

We spoke to the owner and a few others.

The owner said the only Covid case he knew of was that a bartender of his got very sick early on and tested positive, and all the employees were worried about her and her young daughter, but she recovered and was back at work in a week or so, and her daughter never got sick.

For us it was like with Ralph Mellish on June 4, 1973. Nothing happened.

That's not what we were hearing from the media.