It’s just the flu

No. It’s not. Everyone in the press and the science world needs to learn the following “elevator speech,” the 20-second answer to that understandable complaint. I just today heard this question asked again for the millionth time on national television, from a news show host to an infectious disease expert, and the answer that was given, while quick and unwavering, was neither numerical nor simply and boldly painted. Here is the answer.

For covid-19…

The mortality rate is as much as 30 times higher.

The infection spreads 5 times faster than the flu. It has a median infection rate (‘R 0’) of 5.7. Swine flu might have been 1.6. And the 1918 pandemic, 2.8.

Hospitalization is required 15 times more often than the flu, with stays twice as long, and more intensive care.

You are infectious prior to exhibiting symptoms.

So you might be perfectly comfortable taking your own chances on being in the 80% who are lucky, or you could be the one in 18–20 who die in a hospital bed with a tube stuck down your throat while you choke to death… or cause someone else to.

Here’s a pretty picture that I superimposed on a newspaper for those who can only read when there’s a pretty picture: