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U.S. facing worst flu season since 2009, experts say
(www.axios.com)
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this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2025
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Considering how repeat COVID infections can cause cumulative damage, which includes immune system problems, one could expect flu waves to become deadlier. All those laptop class academics who preached about "herd immunity" via infection must be feeling great right now.
Herd immunity is a thing, which is why it's so important to vaccinate if you're able to - the few people that truly can't are relying on you.
Execpt herd immunity doesn't apply to viruses that mutate heavily and where the immunity isn't durable. Dr. Anthony Fauci previously believed that herd immunity could be achieved with COVID, but he has since changed his mind:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11418601/
So that just means keeping vaccine boosters up-to-date is even more important.
Not wrong, but also not helpful in the goal of boosting public health. Even if we're not able to reach literal herd immunity, boosting your own defenses still mitigates the spread and still plays a large role in reducing vulnerable people's exposure.
Combine that with other reduction practices like hygiene and masking and we've got a solid defense.
And don't get me wrong - I'm well aware that's a pipedream, cuz good fucking luck convincing Cletus and Billybob that an itchy nose and a scary poke in the arm are worth not killing some grandma they'll never meet... And until we can reach dipshits like that, there's not much hope in controlling something like covid.
I'd also expand my initial post to vaccination habits in general, and the less mutatey pathogens than covid do give us a bit more wiggle room in dealing with morons.
One of those laptop academics was just promoted to head of the NIH 😭😭
I want to leave this timeline.