You can approximate the effect of a new Influenza without vaccines if you look at the numbers for the year 1918. That definitely made headlines (In this special case that is an interesting story by itself). But the effect influenza had in 1918 is not comparable to the normal flu.

So if people insist that Covid-19 is just like the flu, agree with them and remind them of a new flu without vaccines, just like the Spanish Flu.