The US death toll from Covid-19 just surpassed that of the 1918 flu pandemic

[spanone]

(CNN) - Despite all the scientific and medical advances of the past 103 years, the Covid-19 pandemic has now killed more Americans than the 1918 flu pandemic did.

More than 675,000 people in the United States have died from Covid-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. That surpasses the estimated US death toll from the deadliest pandemic of the 20th century.

"If you would have talked to me in 2019, I would have said I'd be surprised," said epidemiologist Stephen Kissler of the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

"But if you talked to me in probably April or May 2020, I would say I would not be surprised we'd hit this point."

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/health/us-covid-deaths-surpass-1918-pandemic/index.html

[mikeysnot]

1. Well one thing science does not have a cure for is

stupid fucking assholes

[spanone]

3. Ain't that the truth. It's truly hard to believe and it's 103 years later.

[Ollie Garkie]

2. According to worldometer

692k

[malaise]

4. Freaking wow!

This did not have to happen - the Slobfather caused this be referring to it as a Democrat hoax. He should be charged with crimes against humanity.

[spanone]

6. I agree with that whole-heartedly. Along with the governors who are killing their own.

[malaise]

7. Every one of them is a Trump supporter

They too should be locked up for mass murder

Get thee to the greatest page

[spanone]

9. devolution

With all the advancements in medicine....etc etc etc

[El Supremo]

10. Wait a minute. You have to consider that we have more than three times...

the population today than in 1918. This no where near as bad as the Spanish Flu. And that is mainly because of vaccinations.

[EarlG]

11. A couple of things

It's a staggering number of deaths, but as people keep pointing out, the population of the U.S. is now more than three times what it was in 1920. So it would take significantly more deaths before we reach a level that's in proportion with the 1918 pandemic death toll.

Also, CNN opens its article with, "Despite all the scientific and medical advances of the past 103 years..." -- you could argue that the scientific advances of the past 103 years are also partly to blame for the reach of the pandemic, given that we now have incredibly easy access to national and international air travel. Covid can now travel from New York to London in seven hours. Would have taken a bit longer in 1918.

Plus, the scientific advances that have allowed us to create and distribute the amazing Covid vaccines can't counter the fact that too many people are too dumb to actually take them...

[El Supremo]

13. In 1918 there was a whole lot of travel.

Our infected troops were going to and coming back from Europe and going to all corners of the US. Maybe not as much as today but still a big spreader.

[madville]

14. Very good points

It's a meaningless milestone. Saying it is somehow significant is no different than saying California is deadlier than Florida because they have had 67k deaths versus 51k in Florida.

[tanyev]

12. Not just science and medicine--also running water, easy access to soap/disinfectants,

ordering just about anything you need delivered to your door, communications, instantaneous news, much higher literacy rate….etc. It didn’t have to turn out the way it did.


And yes, I know most of what I listed was made possible by science too, but for us they are very basic things that people in 1918 did not have.