‘The dog that didn’t bark’ is an expression from a Sherlock Holmes mystery called “Silver Blaze” It was an important clue that led to identifying the killer. It was deduced that the killer entered and left the estate grounds one night but without the guard dog barking an alarm at the intruder’s presence as expected. From this non—event Sherlock Holmes reasoned that the dog must have known the killer and that clue led to the solving of the case. Elementary, my dear reader!
There is another significant non-event that we need to discuss.
It is a matter of fact that sadly around 17,000 people die of the Flu each year. This is from data provided by Public Health England. Sometimes it is more than this, as was the case in the 2017-2018 Flu season when 26,408 people died from the flu virus. This is despite the Flu vaccine being offered to 25m people. The reality is that this respiratory disease can be fatal and that is has been around a very long time.
Which brings us to 2020.
How many people have died from the Influenza virus this year?
Well, it is now reported that the UK is almost free of flu with a 90 per cent drop in cases.
So that suggests around 1700 people have died with the Flu in this year of Covid19.
Why is this? Why has the Flu gone missing?
Is it possible that those with Flu-like symptoms can show up as a Positive PCR test and when presented at NHS hospitals are deliberately not swabbed for Flu? Why the lack of medical rigour? Might it be that the Flu is being statistically consumed into Covid death figures? Or might it be that the Flu virus has been wiped out by the more aggressive Covid virus?
The John Hopkins Medicine explains that Influenza (the flu) and COVID-19, the illness caused by the pandemic coronavirus, are both contagious respiratory illnesses, meaning they affect your lungs and breathing, and can be spread to others. Although the symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu can look similar, the two illnesses are caused by different viruses.
This is true but it also seems remarkably odd that the Flu virus should all but vanish in the same year that the Covid virus emerges. No one seeks to minimise any death for any reason, but it is important we have an honest debate on these issues to ensure scientific rigour is retained.
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