[baseballmom]

Figures for U.S. flu deaths given on the news tonight were:

1918-1919 Spanish Flu 500,000

1968-1969 Hong Kong Flu 36,000.

Perhaps that is where the 36,000 number came from

[tinacart]

"1968-1969 Hong Kong Flu 36,000."

First of all, the reports I heard/saw on the news earlier showed the HK flu as 34,000, some other flu in the middle as being 70K, and the Spanish as 500K... So, it still doesn't explain the 36K per year they keep trying to scare us with over and over in the media - they are saying "yearly." I submit again, it's a scare tactic, designed to give the chattering class something to talk about (read Robert Bork, "Slouching toward Gommarah"), and would be ridiculous if people weren't so terrified! Take care, Tina