
The flu that transformed the 20th Century - nairteashop
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20181016-the-flu-that-transformed-the-20th-century
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beautifulfreak
PBS did a documentary I happened to watch last month. It reveals that mailmen
were a serious vector of transmission, even when quarantines were put in
place. Medicine's main disadvantage was not understanding that it was viral
and airborne, so that quarantines could be more effective. Doctors were
looking for a bacterial cause up to the end of the pandemic.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0juBE-
ra3A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0juBE-ra3A)

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escherplex
Currently there is concern that the new form of the H7N9 virus in China could
morph into a form as lethal as the 1918 Spanish flu which killed up to five
percent of world's population. Forewarned is forearmed. But it seems:

 _China Has Withheld Samples of a Dangerous Flu Virus_

[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/health/china-flu-virus-
sa...](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/27/health/china-flu-virus-samples.html)

so possible development of vaccines has been hampered.

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craftyguy
> so possible development of vaccines has been hampered.

That wouldn't prevent the Chinese from developing a vaccine...

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bobthepanda
Better to have multiple heads working on one problem and have one race to
finish first, like with Ebola. Will the Chinese develop one on their own in
time if an outbreak actually happens?

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craftyguy
> Better to have multiple heads working on one problem

Yea, I know.

> Will the Chinese develop one on their own in time if an outbreak actually
> happens?

Maybe they already have one?

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metalliqaz
The article prominently cites the fact that the 20-40 yr old population had
not been exposed to H1N1 and thus their immune system was not primed to fight
it.

I wonder, then, if we are better equipped today because of increased
globalization as well as widespread use of flu vaccines. Virus strains can fly
all over the world easier than they could 100 years ago, so there is more
'mixing'. At the same time, we are getting a flu shot every year with the
current batch of popular strains. By the time we reach the age of 20, we have
likely been exposed to most subtypes of Influenza.

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classicsnoot
I am not an Anti-vax person, but I am leery of the Flu Vaccine. Could you help
me understand why it is better to be immunized against last year's flu instead
of surviving this year's flu? If this isn't the place and/or you aren't the
person, I'd appreciate a gentle nudge in the right direction. Thanks!

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DenisM
Because flu is painful and takes days out of your life, while the shot is
(relatively) painless and takes 15 minutes out of your Walgreens shopping
time?

The flu shot cuts down infection probability by 2/3\. If a given unvaccinated
person gets flu 6 years out of 10, that same person with vaccination would
only get sick 2 years out of 10. This is a huge difference.

Whether they used last year's strain or any other method is immaterial so long
as it delivers the 2/3 reduction.

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dhshsjsjd
“ If a given unvaccinated person gets flu 6 years out of 10,”

6 years out of ten? Dude, the ppl around you are not washing their hands!

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rpedela
Yes, all you have to do is wash your hands and no more flu. /s

