What was the 1968-1969 Hong Kong Flu pandemic that killed over a million people like?

[CatManTrue]

Excellent points. I laughed when I read this being "The Information Age". It is the Age of Disinformation. The "information" out there as to this public health crisis has been all over the place, and has in large part been created, published, and selectively repeated, quoted, misquoted, taken out of context, and disseminated to support a particular agenda. Coverage by TV and print media in 1968 was substantially more objective, trustworthy and balanced. Investigative news reporting was not blurred as it is today with providing commentary and delivering sound bites.

I agree with all but the “most trustworthy” part. There were few ways to validate stories back then. The Gulf of Tonkin incident looms large.

I do agree that we live in the age of disinformation.

 

[CappyNU]

The only way to get news in 1968 was by listening to one of the 3 networks (CBS, ABC, NBC) which were subject to the Fairness Doctrine or from your local newspaper. Information was much more tightly controlled, which is not the same as being more trustworthy. There were just more gatekeepers for disseminating news.

 

[eastbaycat99]

When I was at NU, Chicago had four daily papers. At dinner at Sargent every day, the people I ate with would have copies of all four, passing the sections around (sports first), and then collectively work through the crosswords.

It was a good time to be a Medill grad, which I wasn’t. The woman I eventually married was, though!

 

[hoosboot]

Excellent points. I laughed when I read this being "The Information Age". It is the Age of Disinformation. The "information" out there as to this public health crisis has been all over the place, and has in large part been created, published, and selectively repeated, quoted, misquoted, taken out of context, and disseminated to support a particular agenda. Coverage by TV and print media in 1968 was substantially more objective, trustworthy and balanced. Investigative news reporting was not blurred as it is today with providing commentary and delivering sound bites.

You're always good for a laugh, Atlanta, but you better hurry...there are some kids on your lawn!

 

[AtlantaCat]

You're always good for a laugh, Atlanta, but you better hurry...there are some kids on your lawn!

Just go back with the other sewer rats to the MSNBC Rant Board and high-five the Three Stooges there for your clever post. I won't see it there. Is...well. no poster IDs from me...a certain poster still serving as the Arnold Horshack of that crap Board - - "OOOH OOOH I found anotha awwwwticle..."

Said to say, The Water Cooler is a better forum.

 

[villox]

Just go back with the other sewer rats to the MSNBC Rant Board and high-five the Three Stooges there for your clever post. I won't see it there. Is...well. no poster IDs from me...a certain poster still serving as the Arnold Horshack of that crap Board - - "OOOH OOOH I found anotha awwwwticle..."

Said to say, The Water Cooler is a better forum.

I can poke you in the eyes here, too.

 

[hoosboot]

Just go back with the other sewer rats to the MSNBC Rant Board and high-five the Three Stooges there for your clever post. I won't see it there. Is...well. no poster IDs from me...a certain poster still serving as the Arnold Horshack of that crap Board - - "OOOH OOOH I found anotha awwwwticle..."

Said to say, The Water Cooler is a better forum.

Your previous post was funnier. This one is just...sad.

Hope that you are healthy and happy.

 

[Seattle_Cat]

I just checked... all football games were played despite a serious flu pandemic that may have killed 4 million globally. (As Northwestern went 1-9, it’s a season most fans probably tried to forget.)

Woodstock even happened during it!

So do any posters recall the Hong Kong flu, and if you lived in constant terror during it? Or did life go on as normal?

(Just a note: this is meant as a serious question. No slash s required.)

I had it. I was 25 at time. I laid in bed for a week and sweated profusely..

 

[CatManTrue]

I had it. I was 25 at time. I laid in bed for a week and sweated profusely..

I’m glad you made a full recovery.

 

[CatManTrue]

I can poke you in the eyes here, too.

How about this for a rejection to being poked in the eyes: I found this article about football during the Spanish Flu in 1918 - or the closest thing resembling it. There’s even a picture of Georgia Tech fans wearing masks at a game.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29565241/football-historians-talk-game-previous-pandemic

For the record: I’m now leaning towards the opinion football shouldn’t be played for a few reasons @Fitz51 . But with the NBA playing I sure wish I took that bet!

 

[Fitz51]

How about this for a rejection to being poked in the eyes: I found this article about football during the Spanish Flu in 1918 - or the closest thing resembling it. There’s even a picture of Georgia Tech fans wearing masks at a game.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29565241/football-historians-talk-game-previous-pandemic

For the record: I’m now leaning towards the opinion football shouldn’t be played for a few reasons @Fitz51 . But with the NBA playing I sure wish I took that bet!

The NBA has a bubble set up. They might be fine. Ditto NHL. Football is hopeless.

 

[hdhntr1]

Not downplaying the flu but there were other things going on in 68-69 to distract. How many (including civilians) died in Vietnam during that time?

Less than died from the flu

 

[hdhntr1]

I was 30 at the time. I do remember hearing about it in the press and also on TV. The Hong Kong flu was not nearly covered as much by the media as Covid 19. I would guess that Covid 19 has more than a hundred times as much coverage as the '68 Hong Kong flu. I also don't remember any controversy on how to treat it. Can't remember, but there was probably a vaccine developed to fight it. There were no lockdowns that I can remember, and no requirement to wear a mask. People pretty much went about their lives as normal, but also were careful when out in public. One BIG difference is that it hit the U.S. after Nixon had won he election, so the politics of the disease and its effect on the U. S. was not in play.

I was a Frosh at NU and it was not really any kind of a big deal. Dem in the White house for the initial stages? . No vaccine that I recall. According to this one was developed but not available till after the peak had passed

https://www.britannica.com/event/1968-flu-pandemic