Day 392: Where Has All the Flu Virus Gone?

Scott Adams got into a kerfluffle on Twitter that led me to an interesting article about the disappearing flu virus:

If the wearing of masks was capable of almost entirely removing influenza from circulation, as has been observed, then this approach would also eliminate SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, SARS-CoV-2 virions, which range from ~50 to 200 nm, are similar in size to those of influenza (~80 to 120 nm), adenoviruses (~90 to 100 nm), and other endemic betacoronaviruses, such as HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1 (~118 to 140 nm), which share the same genus as the novel virus. Since SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and various other respiratory viruses are largely spread by fine-particle aerosols in indoor settings, an intervention that works for one should logically work for the other. But in spite of the stringency of interventions, SARS-CoV-2 cases have skyrocketed. At the same time, infections of endemic betacoronaviruses, which should respond to NPIs in the same manner as SARS-CoV-2, have also largely disappeared [though adenoviruses have not].

Massachusetts cases were up a third of a percentage point both yesterday and today.