Quote Originally Posted by IvonaDestroi View Post
Older folks and children have always been more suseptible to every virus, this one included.
Most viruses, this one included, and "this one included" is what the virologists have just deduced in the past couple of days. Initial reports were that it was killing predominantly healthy adults with strong immune systems. That was the hallmark of Spanish flu. The virus provoked such a strong immune response that healthy individuals died of pneumonia. Children, the elderly, and those with otherwise weakened immune systems disproportionately survived Spanish flu. That's the characteristic that has them so wary of avian flu, as well.

It's true that it's unknown how many people died of secondary bacterial infections in the 1918 epidemic. However, just as this isn't 1918, it isn't 1965 either. We now have lots of antibiotic-resistant organisms, and I'm reading that flu viruses are already becoming resistant to over-used antivirals as well. Whether or not this is "the one," and it's increasingly appearing that it isn't, IMO it's silly to think it's not coming.