Let’s put Coronavirus in perspective

“Approximately one in four U.S. residents aged ≥65 years (older adults) report falling each year, and fall-related emergency department visits are estimated at approximately 3 million per year. In 2016, a total of 29,668 U.S. residents aged ≥65 years died as the result of a fall (age-adjusted rate^† = 61.6 per 100,000), compared with 18,334 deaths (47.0) in 2007.”  Imagine if that were a virus. The media are stoking a pandemic, and saying Trump isn’t doing enough, when he’s done a lot about a job that isn’t is.  However, I’ve never heard him comment on falls.  CDC MMWR https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6718a1.htm

“In the U.S. alone, the flu has already caused an estimated 19 million illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths this season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” Scientific American https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-new-coronavirus-compare-with-the-flu/

Have you heard the president admonishing people to wash their hands and covering their sneezes? Has he appointed an influenza czar? Or a Fall General?

On March 15-20, 2009,  about 170 of us from the Columbus area returned from the Middle East. About 20 of us got sick on the way home. Some got sick after arriving home--some 2 or 3 days later with fever, aches and chills. It took about 4 weeks for my GI track to return to normal, although I didn't go to the hospital. Still I was lying on the floor of the airport for several hours, and someone had to get me to the front of the line at customs. I'm just thankful it wasn't during this scare.