Do you believe the CDC’s influenza data?

[Dantrolene FC]

According to the CDC, ~40,000 people died from the flu this season and another ~40 million were infected with the flu.

The CDC comes out with stats like this yearly, and I never believe them. This means 1/8 get influenza, which seems excessive. Anecdotally, I’ve never knowingly had influenza, and to my knowledge, no one in my immediate family has ever had influenza.

Another logical argument: If influenza is this bad annually, why don’t we shut down the economy every winter? I mean, we even have a vaccine for flu and it’s still this bad?

Here is the CDC link: Preliminary In-Season 2019-2020 Flu Burden Estimates

Here is a commentary piece arguing against the data: CDC — Influenza Deaths: Request for Correction (RFC)

I read this information a few months back and now I feel lied to. For me, the CDC and other public health figures have lost a lot of credibility.

I believe the CDC is trying to manipulate the data to urge more people to take the vaccine.

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[Dro133]

Reading the commentary piece, it sounds like the author's argument is that since the influenza is not the underlying cause of death in most cases but rather the initiating event, that those deaths should not count as flu-associated deaths? That doesn't make sense to me. If someone dies due to secondary pneumonia initiated by the flu, that sounds like a death caused by the flu to me.

Also, in the article, the author states: "CDC states that the historic 1968-9 "Hong Kong flu" pandemic killed 34 000 Americans. At the same time, CDC claims 36 000 Americans annually die from flu. What is going on?"

A quick search shows that the CDC actually estimates 100,000 American deaths from that particular pandemic: 1968 Pandemic (H3N2 virus) | Pandemic Influenza (Flu) | CDC

Furthermore, a quick search of the author of that piece, Kenneth Stoller, reveals the following:

Anti-vaccine doctor’s student exemptions subject of San Francisco subpoena

So, yeah, I would take what he writes with a healthy dose of salt.

EDIT: I'm definitely no infectious disease specialist, but I don't think it makes sense to compare the annual influenza with COVID-19 in terms of mortality and infectivity. Models are estimating ~100,000 American deaths from the novel coronavirus, and that's with serious social distancing. Without social distancing, the death toll could be in the millions. As tragic as 40,000 annual deaths from influenza is, I don't think it warrants total shutdown.

 

[Dantrolene FC]

Reading the commentary piece, it sounds like the author's argument is that since the influenza is not the underlying cause of death in most cases but rather the initiating event, that those deaths should not count as flu-associated deaths? That doesn't make sense to me. If someone dies due to secondary pneumonia initiated by the flu, that sounds like a death caused by the flu to me.

Also, in the article, the author states: "CDC states that the historic 1968-9 "Hong Kong flu" pandemic killed 34 000 Americans. At the same time, CDC claims 36 000 Americans annually die from flu. What is going on?"

A quick search shows that the CDC actually estimates 100,000 American deaths from that particular pandemic: 1968 Pandemic (H3N2 virus) | Pandemic Influenza (Flu) | CDC

Furthermore, a quick search of the author of that piece, Kenneth Stoller, reveals the following:

Anti-vaccine doctor’s student exemptions subject of San Francisco subpoena

So, yeah, I would take what he writes with a healthy dose of salt.

EDIT: I'm definitely no infectious disease specialist, but I don't think it makes sense to compare the annual influenza with COVID-19 in terms of mortality and infectivity. Models are estimating ~100,000 American deaths from the novel coronavirus, and that's with serious social distancing. Without social distancing, the death toll could be in the millions. As tragic as 40,000 annual deaths from influenza is, I don't think it warrants total shutdown.

Thanks for the added information and changing my mind. I retract my opening statement.