In January 2018 the CDC's influenza chief expected about 56,000 flu deaths in US for the 2017-2018 season. In the event, just last week the CDC announced the US death toll. It came to 80,000.

Why is this not a shocking story burning on the front pages of newspapers everywhere? If 8 people in the US died from Ebola, there would be a famine of ink. But 80,000 dead from influenza? Hey—it’s just the flu.

While our relationship with the flu is perplexing, UW-Madison’s long tradition of research on the virus & on the disease is enlightening.

This week (October 3) at 7:00 pm Bernard Easterday, Yoshihiro Kawaoka and Chris Olsen of the School of Veterinary Medicine will share 100+ years of influenza research at the University of Wisconsin. This talk is the first in a series of three this fall commemorating the centennial of the Pandemic of 1918-1919.