How Useful, Really, is Google Flu Trends?

Two doctors, writing for Slate, ask the question: Is Google's Flu Trends, which is meant to show as early as two weeks in advance, useful enough to stave off the spread of influenza? The paraphrased question is meant to indicate that while the information Google can garner from search terms related to flu to indicate a breakout of the sickness has occurred, two E.R. doctors say it won't do much to stop the flu -- which really is the goal of these syndromic surveillance systems that have their roots in 9/11. (The government has tested systems to determine if a "silent" biological weapon, for example, has been detonated, spreading, say, anthrax.)

As quoted in a Nextgov article, Joe Bresee, chief of epidemiology and prevention in CDC's influenza division, said:

It's exciting because it looks like not only do their curves resemble our curves, but they tend to precede our curves a little bit, which raises the possibility we can use this data to get messages out more quickly.

But the two physicians -- Zachary F. Meisel and Jesse M. Pines -- ask the question, "So what?"

Why is [it] so important to predict a couple of days ahead of time which states have lots of people with flu symptoms? Some say this information may spark health officials or doctors to produce special news bulletins, intensify hand-washing campaigns and flu vaccination efforts, let hospitals know to up their staffing levels, or even prescribe preventive antiviral meds, like Tamiflu, to high-risk people. Those sorts of prevention efforts do actually reduce the flu spread. But it is unclear what good a one-week heads-up can do when it is already clear that the flu is coming, anyway.

Meisel and Pines argue that the best way to avoid the flu is "to get your shot, wash your hands, and stay away from coughing people." They conclude:

We can be certain about three things this winter: 1) Flu will come; 2) many people will get sick, and some will die from the infection; and 3) Google Flu Trends will prevent neither 1) nor 2).