Why no shut down in 1968 ?

[HJB]

In 1968 a pandemic was caused by an influenza A (H3N2) virus. from an avian influenza A virus. It was first noted in the United States in September 1968.

The estimated number of deaths was 1 million worldwide and about 100,000 in the United States. Most excess deaths were in people 65 years and older.

The H3N2 virus continues to circulate worldwide as a seasonal influenza A virus. Seasonal H3N2 viruses, which are associated with severe illness in older people, undergo regular antigenic drift.

I don't remember any quarantine or shutdowns in 1968....do you ?

 

[Okie4570]

I wasn't around so I don't remember, but I have a good idea why. The internet didn't exist, MSM didn't have a slant, Walter Cronkite was focused on Vietnam, the WHO didn't work as a Chinese operative and 50% of the US population wasn't scared of their own fart or shadow like today??

 

[Dale00]

Computers and data collection/analysis were much slower then compared to today. In real-time they probably reacted much slower...maybe even after the fact so to speak.
International air travel moved relatively few people so rapid spread was not possible as it is today
Genetic modification of disease organisms to enhance to enhance function was yet possible. This is a big worry with COVID....time will tell.

The premise of the question is that the two epidemics are roughly the same because the number killed is about the same as of today. I think this is probably incorrectly - there are differences...namely this one is not over and is likely to continue.

There is more at play here beyond the fact that people have become soft and unable to accept risk.

 

[HJB]

I was around in 1968 and I don't remember a word about it. I was actually pretty sick about that time with the most popular pandemic at the time.... mononucleosis.

 

[davek]

Perhaps it was because the flu virus isn't as contagious as the corona virus. And flu transmission generally came from people with some symptoms, or at least weren't transmitting it for very long when they had no symptoms. Corona virus is different.

 

[davek]

I do remember 1968 - I was in jr. high school - and remember other kids being sent home from school if they had any symptoms at all.

 

[HJB]

I just don't remember it at all. I was in college and dropped out with the mono, but in April I went it to the Navy and was in A school when it all started. Don't ever remember hearing a thing about it, and don't remember any large problems with people getting sick although we live in barracks in very close quarters and in large groups in class rooms.

 

[Raptor62]

The national news in 68 was Vietnam.
That filled the evening news and there was no 24hr news cycle till 1980 when CNN started.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[mr ed]

The Chinese were not totally ready in 68 for complete world domination like they are now.
You realize the Chinese have been building and financing infrstructure projects all over the world.
If there's a worldwide economic collapse they get to foreclose and take over.

 

[HJB]

The Chinese were not totally ready in 68 for complete world domination like they are now.
You realize the Chinese have been building and financing infrstructure projects all over the world.
If there's a worldwide economic collapse they get to foreclose and take over.

I'm not sure how serious you are but I have had some thoughts that might be ridiculous but might not be. I know China was having a bad financial situation with huge drops in GDP, new tariffs, problems with Hong Kong and Taiwan, and no telling what else. This Chinese virus thing pretty much effed up everyone else in the entire world so that they are no worse off than any of the rest of us.

Probably absurd, but I would not put it past them. They need to be hammered by the entire world for this global disaster !