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About Those 80,000 Deaths from Influenza…

listening to patient's lungs

Normally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that between 12,000 and 56,000 people die of influenza each year in the United States. At least, that’s the range the agency has given for the “flu seasons” since 2010.1

At a press conference held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC on September 27, 2018, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD noted that 80,000 people in the U.S. died of influenza during the 2017-2018 season. “You all saw the story in the AP last night… 80,000 people dying from the flu or flu-related complications last year,” said Dr. Adams.2 3

Adams was referring to a report by the Associated Press regarding an interview it conducted with director of the CDC Robert Redfield, MD on September 25, 2018.4 In that interview, Dr. Redfield said, “I’d like to see more people get vaccinated. We lost 80,000 people last year to the flu.”4

According to the CDC, “These new estimates are record-breaking, and emphasize the seriousness and severity of flu illness and serve as a strong reminder of the importance of flu vaccination.”2

Predictably, the 80,000 figure has been picked up by the media far and wide.5 6 7 8 9 10 11

The headline in The New York Times article read, “Over 80,000 Americans Died of Flu Last Winter, Highest Toll in Years.” The subheading read, “Among the dead were 180 babies, children and teenagers, more than in any year since the CDC began tracking pediatric deaths.”12

Sensationalistic reporting. This would be understandable were the 80,000 figure accurate, but 80,000 people did not die of influenza in 2017-2018. That is an inflated figure which the CDC attained by combining the number of deaths caused by pneumonia, other respiratory illnesses and sepsis, along with those caused by lab confirmed type A or B influenza.13

Joseph Mercola, DO points out…

While [the 80,000 figure] sounds ominous, it’s worth remembering that what they’re counting as “flu deaths” are not just deaths directly caused by the influenza virus, but also secondary infections such as pneumonia and other respiratory diseases, as well as sepsis.14

Obviously, not all pneumonia deaths or deaths from other respiratory diseases and sepsis are caused by influenza. There’s your first clue about the inaccuracy of the 80,000 figure. The second clue has to do with the fact that deaths from influenza in persons over age 18 in the U.S. are not nationally “reportable” or “notifiable.”15 16

According to the CDC:

Flu-associated deaths in adults are not a nationally notifiable condition, and so states are not required to report flu-associated deaths in adults to CDC.16

The simple truth of the matter is that, while pediatric deaths associated with lab confirmed influenza are reportable, no one really knows how many adults in the U.S. die of influenza each year. The CDC certainly doesn’t know, and it is upfront about that fact on its website. It says, “CDC does not know exactly how many people die from seasonal flu each year.”16

What the CDC does is provide estimates of influenza deaths, and those estimates merit a degree of wariness on the part of the American public, given that they are not even specific to influenza but also include other stuff like the more than 50,000 deaths from pneumonia each year in the U.S.17

Worse, is the impression given when leading public health authorities like Dr. Adams and Dr. Redfield talk about influenza deaths and the urgency that you and everyone you know must get an annual flu shot. They talk as if the numbers they convey are factual, rather than extremely rough—and some might say manipulated—estimates. That just seems irresponsible. They know that the media will pick up on it and proceed to report the numbers as scientific evidence that should not be questioned by you or anyone else.


References:

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimated Influenza Illnesses, Medical Visits, Hospitalizations, and Deaths Averted by Vaccination in the United States. CDC.gov.
2 CDC. National Press Conference Kicks Off 2018-2019 Flu Vaccination Campaign. CDC.gov.
3 NFID Influenza/Pneumococcal News Conference. National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Sept. 27, 2018.
4 Stobbe M. APNewsBreak: 80,000 people died of flu last winter in US. Associated Press Sept. 26, 2018.
5 Belluz J. 80,000 Americans died of the flu last winter. Get your flu shot. Vox Oct. 19, 2018.
6 Diamond ML. Flu shot: After 80,000 deaths last year, doctors urge people to vaccinatedAsbury Park Press Oct. 8, 2018.
7 Dodge B. After 80,000 deaths, return of flu season brings worries about a virulent replay. The Morning Call Sept. 28, 2018.
8 Fox M. Doctors deliver blunt message about a record 80,000 flu deaths. NBC News Sept. 27, 2018.
9 Frellick M. Flu Caused 80,000 Deaths in US Last Year. Medscape Sept. 27, 2018.
10 Johnson SR. More health workers urged to get flu vaccine after 80,000 deaths last season. Modern Healthcare Sept. 27, 2018.
11 Miller NS. Flu season: Experts urge everyone to get vaccinated, citing 80,000 deaths last year. Orlando Sentinel Oct. 5, 2018.
12 McNeil DG. Over 80,000 Americans Died of Flu Last Winter, Highest Toll in Years. The New York Times Oct. 1, 2018.
13 CDC. 2017-2018 Influenza Season Week 6 ending February 10, 2018. CDC.gov.
14 Mercola J. What’s Behind the CDC Claiming 80,000 Died From Flu Last Winter? Mercola.com Oct. 10, 2018.
15 Jameson C. Flu Stats: When the Numbers Don’t Add Up. Age of Autism.
16 CDC. Estimating Seasonal Influenza-Associated Deaths in the United States. CDC.gov.
17 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics, Pneumonia. CDC.gov.

 

 

 

35 Responses

  1. The bigger the number, the more fear you create, motivating the fearful to rush to their drugstore to take the jab.

  2. Something else that is not reported is how many of those that die of influenza were vaccinated. I work in a hospital and most of the people admitted with a diagnosis of influenza had been vaccinated. The CDC states even if they “get the wrong strain” it’s still better to be vaccinated because if you do contract the flu, it will be a milder case than if you weren’t vaccinated. Let’s face it, if it were a milder case, why would they be hospitalized.

    1. Exactly! And they say on their site that no deaths of ppl that had the shot. That’s BS. I know for fact, because that’s how my Grandmother died. My Dad had been telling her for a few years why not to get them. And she had a cold a week before her annual appointment. So my Dad said hey I don’t think it would be a good idea to get it now if you were going to since you just got over that cold. Being her immune system would be low. So she asked the Doctor and he said no that won’t matter at all. Well it must have because just a few days later she was in the hospital and died soon after. I know it still bothers my Dad to this day and he wished he had done more to try stop her. But they really shouldn’t push them as much as they do and if someone feels like maybe it’s not a good idea then they shouldn’t have it. Also I don’t think ANY jobs should require you to get them. That’s crazy

    2. I work in a SNF (Skilled Nursing Facility) and we had an entire hall quarantined because of a flu outbreak. In one case two people shared a room in which one person had the flu and the other never contracted it (or suffered any symptoms at least.) The one with the flu had the vaccine the other one didn’t. That’s when I knew they’re all full of shit. Since the Marines I haven’t consented to the vaccine. I used to get sick every time they gave it to me.

  3. Since about 50% of the U.S. population is annually estimated to receive the flu vaccine, that means that whatever the number of deaths, 1/2 of them were likely to have been vaccinated for the flu. The CDC did not research what percentage of those “flu deaths” were in unvaccinated individuals. Why didn’t they look at this? I think the reason is self-evident. In this sensationalist bit of flu advertising by the CDC, no mention is made of the fact that the efficacy rate of the flu has been hovering between 20% and 50% for years now. The CDC continues to deny one can get the flu in response to the vaccine (presumably through impaired immunity) even though this occurrence is not unusual.

  4. Remember the flu vaccine is only 10-20 percent effective and has risk. I prefer to eat nutrient dense food and strengthen my immune system. I will never take a shot. My aunt and my neighbor died from the flu shot. Both got Epstein-Barre system, as listed on the vaccine insert. My neighbor lay paralzyed for 6 months, unable to move even his eyelids. Talk about hell on earth. If you want to see something incredible, google the 60 minutes episode with Mike Wallace and the CDC director on the swine flu. They lie, saying Mary Tyler More, Elvis and others took the shot, — all propaganda. It would never be allow on 60 Minutes today, due to Pharma advertizing and power.

  5. I’m curious as to how many of these confirmed influenza-related deaths are people who actually DID get the annual flu vaccine. Why is this question never asked of the CDC? I read that 86% of the measles infected individuals from Disneyland some years ago, actually were fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.

  6. Very frustrating to hear these false statements. I do not and will not get the flu shot but it is hard to convince some family and friends why not to. It is too bad that when the media reports this information they also do not give the other side’s opinion but I guess that would not fit into their agenda.

    1. Google the ingredients of the flu shot. I bet it won’t be hard to convince your friends and family armed with that information.

      It quite literally is poison.

  7. One year a friend of mine, who is a pharmacist, urged me to get the flu shot. I asked her how efficient it had been the year before (I had just read it). She had to admit the year before, they aimed the ball totally wrong and the coverage had been zero. 3 totally different strands had been combined for the shot. That left all those vaccinated with no protection and a derailed immune system due to the grub in that shot !

  8. We have the same sort of exaggeration in Canada. The oft-repeated figure in Canada is 3,500 deaths by the flu every year. This 3,500 estimate of annual flu deaths is a notoriously inaccurate estimate based on modelling which results in an inflation of the numbers which makes influenza seem more deadly and more serious than it actually is. Don’t believe me?
    Here’s what the Public Health Agency of Canada’s FluWatch reported last week: there were 64,403 lab-confirmed cases of influenza in Canada last season, mostly Influenza A/H3N2. There were 302 deaths directly attributed to influenza, including nine children​.
    Let’s see, there are 37 million Canadians and therefore your chance of dying by flu last year was 1 in 123,333

    My question: in whose interest is it to exaggerate, and then repeat the exaggeration of annual flu deaths? People can answer that on their own.

    1. How do they know what strain of flu it is? I had the flu a couple times long ago when I had weak lungs. I had asthma at the time, too. I ate meat then. Once I went vegetarian, both went away. Anyway, my Dr would tell me, “It’s the flu, antibiotics won’t help you. Drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest.” and that was that. No tests were done, except she’d look down my throat and take my temp…ask some questions about chills and fevers and coughing and body aches…there’s No way they could possibly know which strain I had. There’s nothing they can do for you anyway. They don’t report it.

      They don’t KNOW what strain is going around.

      I call the flu shot BOGUS! They don’t know JACK! The flu shot is one easy way to POISON us with Mercury and other poisons voluntarily on our part! They don’t have a clue what stops corona viruses.

      Not me. I refuse flu shots. It’s in my charts.

  9. As expected the latest commercial from the CDC coinciding with flu season.
    The flu shot solution is the proposed solution, as the public, whether well educated or not,
    follows suit. Every year after emphasizing the severity of the latest strain comes another
    report that demand far exceeds supply. The desired effect is a frenzy to get a highly sought after shot. People are happy to line up at drug stores in the early morning hours in freezing temps for “their” flu shot. Some percentage will get the flu from the shot, and a much larger number will infect others after they get it as the evidence shows.

    It’s a race to the bottom…

  10. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH DOES NOT ANSWER TO CITIZENS.
    TALK TO THE PRESIDENT.
    He may listen, as he’s elected but there are many pressures.
    ONLY HE COMMANDS THE EXEC. BRANCH.
    HE COULD UNDUE ALL THE CROOKED AND TRAITOROUS BEHAVIOR—BUT LOOK HOW HE DIDN’T REALLY FIRE HARDLY ANYONE AT “JUSTICE,” ETC.
    THE PRESSURE IS ENORMOUS.
    THEY LIKE TO HIM, LIKE THEY DO TO THE PUBLIC

  11. Sorry, always a typo——-meant, “THEY LIE TO HIM”….
    CDC and many captured “Agencies” are rogue Rich Filthy.

    “JUSTICE” seemed to answer to no one, don’t you think?
    COUP COUP for COUCOUPUFFS

  12. I found this article several years ago and it gives insights as to how this Flu number is obtained by the CDC and apparently other agencies in other countries that look to the CDC as the leader of the health:

    Analysis
    Flu deaths reality check
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/flu-deaths-reality-check-1.1127442

    Snippets from article:
    The fact is, no one knows how many people die after being infected with the flu virus. The death estimates are not based on body counts, lab tests or autopsies.

    (.)
    “They’re tossing it into a big computer and they’re churning out estimates,” Gardam said as he scribbled numbers on a white board to show me how the models work.

    One model counts all respiratory and circulatory deaths — that’s death from heart and lung failure — as flu deaths.

    “As an upper limit, they are looking at everybody who died of a heart and lung problem,” Gardam said. “So you could imagine this could include people who died of a heart attack that had nothing to do with flu, but the feeling is that anybody who died of flu should be captured in there, plus a lot of other people.”

    At the lower end of that model they count the number of deaths officially listed as “influenza” on the death certificate, plus all deaths from pneumonia — even though not all pneumonia is caused by flu.

    (.)
    Another model assumes that every extra death that happens in the winter is a flu death. At the risk of oversimplifying, this is the basic formula of that model: winter deaths (minus) summer deaths = death by flu virus.

    That includes winter deaths from slippery sidewalks, snowy roads, freezing temperatures, plus all the winter heart failure, lung failure and deaths from cancer. In the language of the computer model, all excess mortality in winter is considered “death by flu.”

    Excellent read.

    Combine the article with the fact that the CDC admits on their website they do not know how many people die from the Flu-you got an agency making things up as they go along.

  13. The 80,000 figure is ridiculous since the CDC themselves say that they don’t know, states and death certificates don’t report it and it’s hard to detect.

    The statistics for children are more accurate which is 185 deaths in 2018 not even close to the fantasy calculation of 80,000.

    This means in reality the flu probably doesn’t matter at all for mortality something like car accidents matters more the statistics for car accident deaths are definitely more reliable and accurate.

  14. sorry- to finish my point with more clarity I should finish my last question in full…

    The real question to those here is….. what are you going to do about how you FEEL about this?
    is it to put less feeling into it? and more thought?

    because…thoughts can have feelings but what you do with those feelings are up to you…

    are you going to feel insecure? ashamed? uncomfortable? likely…
    thats normal… you were an idiot.
    but you dont have to continue to be that way…
    so think about it this way….

    if I change how I feel now… I wont feel like this anymore. at least not about this issue…

  15. Bias is a very interesting force in these concepts. Every commentary expresses that the 80,000 deaths estimate is unreliable. Most comments go on to express their opinion that the actual deaths are much lower. On what evidence do any of you make this biased assumption? If the 80,000 estimate is baseless, why is is unlikely that actual flu deaths aren’t much higher? Further obvious bias is born out with commenters rejecting the concept that getting the flu can ravage your immune system causing you to die from a secondary infection, while at the exact some time commenters seem to be certain that the flu vaccine is bad because the mild reaction people have to it obviously destroys their immune system leaving them open to secondary illness. You are what you think others to be lmao, sad.

  16. I have been trying to find the number or percent of people that died from the flu had been vaccinated. Do they report that?

      1. Where are you getting your numbers from to back up your claim that ‘most kids who die from flu have not been vaccinated’?

    1. They would report the number of kids, but adult reporting is not required. Did you read the article?

      The numbers are all fudged because there is no required reporting for adults and flu…not of receiving vaccines, not of getting the flu, not of dying of the flu, nothing.

      There IS, however, required reporting for 18 and under.

  17. Children and the elderly are vulnerable populations and sometimes die from flu as a result of secondary infection, i.e. pneumonia. Most kids who die from flu are NOT VACCINATED. Parents who do not get their kids vaccinated are playing Russian Roulette.

  18. Joel, you are talking […] about comments that you apparently have not read. Is it that hard to understand that if you add Group A, Group B, and Group C together, and you report the sum of all 3, as being the amount only in Group A, it will result in an inflated number?

  19. Drs are like politicians : if their lips are moving they are lying or not giving you information you need to make an informed decision. They are walking prescription pads for big pharma.

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