Frank, how unkind of you, poking holes in the premise comparison, you will be accused of examines things rationally!! Manipulating the raw numbers out from 6 weeks to 52 weeks is a factor of 8.67, so at 31,000 in 6weeks that amounts to 268,666 lives for a year. If we stop stay in place and social distancing Two hundred and Seventy Thousand could be a real one year number in 2020.

Having had the Hong Kong flu in 1957, I will say no thank you to taking a chance with this one. I was 21 years old then and survived .. it was really bad. Now I am 84 and in the 20% fatality group... YIKES.

As is said at the daily briefings, "how could we imagine such a pandemic could happen." Yes, we could learn from history: "1957 flu pandemic, also called Asian flu pandemic of 1957 or Asian flu of 1957, outbreak of influenza that was first identified in February 1957 in East Asia and that subsequently spread to countries worldwide. The 1957 flu pandemic was the second major influenza pandemic to occur in the 20th century; it followed the influenza pandemic of 1918–19 and preceded the 1968 flu pandemic. The 1957 flu outbreak caused an estimated one million to two million deaths worldwide and is generally considered to have been the least severe of the three influenza pandemics of the 20th century."
https://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-flu-of-1957

1917-18 flu took 50million. The bad in 1917, but worse was when it reemerged in 1918. It was in reality not the Spanish flu, it started in Kansas... mid USA.
https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/influenza-epidemic/

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent virus threat and have therefore raised their threat level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.” Soon, though, level may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.”

The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out.

The virus has been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let's Get the Bastard.” They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.

Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbour” and “Lose.”

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Australia, meanwhile, has raised its alert level from “No worries” to “She'll be alright, Mate.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is cancelled.” So far, no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

In the USA the initial response to the virus was to go out for “some retail therapy” which has now escalated to “dooms-day prep, let’s clean out the WalMart” with possible White House upgraded response “let’s nuke them” combined with “it must be the illegals bringing it over”. however in the end when this virus is eradicated we expect the American response “we saved the world.....again”.