As a gauge of how a virus can affect the U.S. economy, the National Center for Biotechnology Information monitors and tracks the economic costs related to the flu every year.
The estimated average annual total economic burden of influenza, also known as the flu, to the healthcare system and society stands at $11.2 billion, which includes medical expenses such as hospitalization, physician visits, and vaccines.
A present concern with the coronavirus is the productivity costs associated with the loss of employee attendance, business travel restrictions, and amplified preventive measures. The flu virus has for decades inflicted companies in all industries with heightened productivity costs.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29801998
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