In 2020, Shasta County had 3 flu deaths, 112 COVID deaths

As the pandemic wears on, some in Shasta County continue to shirk COVID-19 precautions, falsely asserting the virus is no more dangerous than influenza.

Deaths data reported by county officials shows how off that claim is: 112 people died from COVID-19 in 2020, compared to three from the flu. (Three flu deaths in a year is about average, if not slightly higher.)

Dr. Doug McMullin, chief medical officer at Shasta Community Health Center, said the coronavirus “clearly is worse” than the flu.

“When COVID first came out, people didn't know what to think of it, so a lot of people just kind of equated it with influenza and thought, ‘Well people die from influenza too. What’s the big deal?’” McMullin said. “But we’re seeing that it’s a more serious disease.”

Aside from higher death rates, McMullin described COVID’s ability to cause “an immune system storm” that can bring blood clots and organ failure, more so than influenza.

McMullin said COVID-19 is particularly more deadly than the flu for those who have a severe case, which is why the death numbers are so different.

“Those who are downplaying it don’t know the statistics,” he said.

More:COVID-19: Shasta County reports 10 more deaths, shattering single-day record

Chico State University virologist Troy Cline agreed that COVID-19 is a bigger threat to the health of the North State and entire country.

He pointed to a peer-reviewed study showing more ventilator use, ICU use, a longer length of stay and nearly five times the risk of death for those hospitalized with COVID-19 compared to the flu.

Another thing making the coronavirus more dangerous is that when the pandemic first began, everyone was susceptible, unlike the flu, where vaccines were already available, Cline said.

Efforts to slow COVID spread are likely slowing flu

Consistent COVID-19 case updates have been met with skepticism among some in Shasta County who see it as unusual or suspicious that there has been less reporting on the flu since the start of the pandemic. 

Aside from the fact that COVID is causing significantly more deaths, overshadowing the flu, mitigation efforts like masks, social distancing and other public health interventions are likely behind the significant drop in flu cases because it can’t spread as easily as it has in year’s past.

More:A running list of Shasta County's COVID-19 deaths: 89 since start of coronavirus pandemic

Cline said the 2019-2020 flu season, which usually fades out around March and April, “stopped dead in its tracks mid-to-late March when we started implementing pandemic restrictions.”

“Those sorts of social distancing, public health measures have had and likely will continue to have an impact,” he said.

Accordingly, epidemiologists with the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency said the local 2020-2021 flu season has gotten off to a slow start.

Spokeswoman Kerri Schuette said Shasta County Public Health, one of many places that offers flu immunizations, has already administered 824 flu shots this flu season, compared to 610 in the previous season. 

Another reason residents might be hearing less news about the flu compared to the coronavirus, health officials say, is that the flu is not considered a "reportable" disease — meaning healthcare providers do not have to tell public health officials when they have diagnosed someone with it, unlike COVID-19. 

Chico State biologist David Stachura said the CDC only estimates the number of flu cases and deaths each year because many people who get it recover without seeking care or being tested, and many only seek treatment after the virus is no longer detectable. 

Vaccine, masks expected to help slow spread

As COVID continues to claim lives, McMullin sees increasing vaccine distribution as a sign of optimism. He already got his first shot, and he encourages others to do the same when given the opportunity. 

“That’s really what has turned away infectious diseases throughout history,” he said.

But until the unknown date doses are made available to the general public, tools like masks and social distancing remain potentially life-saving tools, as McMullin has seen first hand.

“(One of my friends) worked in a place where it wasn’t very popular to wear masks, and nobody really was, and got it and died,” he said. “When you look back, if we’d have had masking in that situation, I think it would’ve been potentially preventative.”

While some residents say they aren’t afraid to be exposed to the virus because it will help build herd immunity, Cline said that belief is wrong. Herd immunity would be acquired via the vaccine, not mass infection, he said.

“(The idea that) we’ll get to herd immunity through natural infection and then everything will be OK, that’s fairytale, la-la land stuff,” Cline said. “There is no precedent for any such thing ever happening before. … Measles rampaged human populations for hundreds if not thousands of years before we ever had a vaccine for measles. Why didn’t herd immunity cause measles to go away?”

Cline said if the country could conduct a hypothetical experiment where it replayed the year 2020 without any restrictions, the death toll could be much, much higher than the current toll of about 360,000. 

Shasta County health officials noted that 2020's 112 COVID deaths and three flu deaths came in year that saw a statewide shutdown, mask wearing, cancelation of events and business restrictions.

“It is scary to imagine how much deadlier COVID would be with no precautions in place,” Schuette said.

Note to readers: The original version of this story stated Shasta County reported 78 COVID-19 deaths in 2020. That number increased to 97 on Friday due to lags in reporting by health officials. It increased to 112 due to complete data reported in March 2021.

Matt Brannon covers politics, the criminal justice system and breaking news for the Record Searchlight. Follow him on Twitter @MattBrannon_RS. Support local coverage and keep up with the North State for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.