Op-Ed: Collapsing health systems vs major flu outbreaks in US, UK and Europe

A colorized transmission electron micrograph of avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles (blue), grown in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells – Copyright National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/AFP/File HANDOUT

Just at the time when the obscene total dysfunction of healthcare systems is an unavoidable topic, ooh look – A virtual whole new pandemic.

The numbers are huge, the situation is roughly similar to 2019 in terms of preparedness, and this time it’s more than one disease. It’s influenza, bird flu, and norovirus.

How chic. How opportune that the same mentality that managed COVID so well will soon return to manage this new plague.

Kook politics nostalgia  and incompetent lunatics notwithstanding –

Bird flu and influenza could also swap genetic materials, according to the CDC. That could lead to a super-strain, or multiple strains, either option making immunization and containment more difficult.  

Health systems are already under significant stress, especially in England. This may be a seasonal event or the beginning of another epic of epidemiology. Neither the US healthcare system nor the long-suffering battered UK NHS are in exactly tip top shape for a long siege.

The Chinese HMPV flu situation isn’t yet anything like clear. There is a “metapneumonic” virus which appears to be seasonal, but it’s occurring in context with avian flu and the dominant influenza A incidents.

Influenza is not one of humanity’s best friends. The 1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic killed between 18 to 50 million people and kept coming till about 1920. COVID has “only” killed 7 million but it’s still doing that.  

Now the real problem.

It’s definitely not any particular disease, or even a pandemic.

It’s the deliberate total mismanagement of human health on a global scale for decades.

The US is undeniably the worst offender, in which claims are refuted on a routine basis. See the AI overview on this Google search. It ain’t pretty.

According to this information, 450 million healthcare claims are rejected each year. That’s more than 1 rejection per person and per day. It’s highly unlikely that all of these claims are erroneous or fraudulent.

Nor is the US healthcare system particularly interested in curing anyone. Goldman Sachs said it wasn’t “sustainable” for patients to be cured and the rest of the Mensa rejects in the sector agreed. Obviously not much has changed, The median price per year is around $14,570 for health care which will definitely be refused at some point for those paying.

In this ultra-neurotic environment, can the US healthcare system cope? Looks like we’re about to find out.