{UAH} Why is Trump being judged by a different standard than Obama was during the 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic where over 12,000 Americans died from the virus before the government brought it under control?

Antoine Simmons, B.A., Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (1995)

12,000, you say? You must be kidding?! The numbers were much higher. More than 6X higher (from 2009 -2018, that is. From 2009–2010, the death toll was approximately 12,500).

The last flu pandemic was a 'quiet killer.' Why we can't predict the next one

The burden of influenza A H1N1pdm09 virus since the 2009 pandemic

The number of infections was RIDICULOUS. Estimates have it that some 100 million were infected in the US from 2009 -2018. Yeah, the prevalence of H1N1 was much higher, and the absolute number of deaths was astronomical in comparison to what we see with Covid-19.

But, you know what else was present since 2009? Take a guess.

Key Facts About 2009 H1N1 Flu Vaccine

Yup, in 2009 there was a vaccine for that. I remember distinctly, much like now people (admittedly myself included) were in a panic. It didn't help that you had wackos out there screaming about vaccines turning our kids into the next "Rain Man" or worse. But, we got the vaccine that fall/winter and never experienced a sniffle.

What you are missing with this question (I'll let others judge your intentions) is that the majority of those who died from H1N1 were those who did NOT vaccinate (and there were very few who COULDN'T). Like any flu season, death is highest among the unvaccinated. Yet every year people want to play that special game of roulette with their lives and the lives of their young ones because…. reasons!

So, if a vaccine is available and had shown really good results in preventing the flu or reducing its symptoms and people CHOSE not to take the preventative measures, you tell me how that can be blamed on Obama?

From what I gather in my conversations with my peers and what I see online and in the news, the "blame" Trump is receiving is NOT for the cause of Covid-19 but rather his "enemic" (pun intended) response to the threat of it when it became abundantly clear to everyone else that this thing would not be contained to China. But this is what happens when you are the "smartest" one in the room. No one can tell you anything.

Here is the CDC timeline during the Obama adminstration in response to the Swine flu (H1N1):

2009 H1N1 Flu Pandemic Timeline

Note how quickly, upon its emergence CDC responded. Notice when the public health emergency was issued. This is what happens when you surround yourself with professionals that live and breathe this stuff and are smarter than you. You get sound advice to act upon and do it with efficiency and purpose.

Now, how has Trump's response been?

• 2018 effectively eliminates (by proxy) the US infectious diseases team responsible for responding to emergent and emerging pandemic threats.

• Same year he cut CDC funding. The CDC pulled back (80%) from its efforts in those hotspots where these infectious diseases seem to get their start. Going from being in 49 countries to only 10

>EDIT 2: Trump PROPOSED (and continues to propose in the midst of a pandemic) cuts to the budgets to the Dept of HHS and CDC. Since 2018, Congress has ignored the budget cut requests.

That's a great start right? Right?!

• In January of this year, news out of China came that a new respiratory virus was on the loose. Absent a true pandemic team and blind due to the absence of a CDC footprint in Asia, he "reassured" us it was not our problem. So, we kept flying and we kept cruising. Fun times for all!

• Late January 2020, Covid-19 broke free of its Chinese constraints, beginning to take up residence in other nations. Still the President assures us its not that bad, but does restrict air travel to and from China (Yay?).

•In February, Covid-19 found ripe new territory in the good ol' US of A. Still, not a problem. "We are on top of it." he assures us. Still, testing was not widespread, while across the globe folks were being tested by the thousands.

• We learn that the CDC kits were faulty causing a delay in getting kits out into the field. Reportedly, our partners in the WHO offers the US kits to test for Covid-19. Yet our illustrious leader reportedly declined. Now just why would one decline aid when its clear you need aid? I'll let you chew on that thought and finish this off?

• EDIT 12MAR2020- This claim regarding the declining of assistance from WHO appears to be tied to a now debunked claim of Trump owning shares of Thermo-Fisher, whose technology is important to the CDC's Covid-19 Test kit development. In truth, based on the records available now, Trump has NOT owned Thermo stock since 2017. Instead of deleting this line from my answer, I am leaving it to be fully transparent in my error and offering this edit instead.

So why is Trump catching the heat? Its self explanatory. He deserves it. Trump did not cause this disease, but he also didn't do nearly enough to prepare our nation for what it would inevitably bring to our shores. In fact he handicapped us before Covid-19 was ever born.

Before Virus Outbreak, a Cascade of Warnings Went Unheeded

He failed to lead, but that is no surprise to the majority of us.

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