"Swine Flu" hysteria

So much hyperbole and so little time! Or at least it would seem so. Every channel, cable or broadcast, seems driven to out sensationalize the other and do it before another station beats them to it.

I would never trivialize the matter, but factual information that puts the situation in perspective will serve to minimize decision making based on fear rather than fact.

Fact: "Swine Flu" is a type A flu virus, H1N1, one of the most common, if not the most common flu virus. That would explain why those infected respond so well to Tamiflu and Relenza. Ref: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

Fact: The CDC estimates that some 35,000 - 36,000 U.S. residents die of "regular" flu or complications of flu. There is no greater need to panic as the result of this recent outbreak than there was last October when everyone was advised to get a flu shot. Ref: http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r030107.htm

To their everlasting discredit, many news media have seemed frenzied to get the latest fear-mongering bit of news on the street. It is likely the stress and anxiety these histrionics have created has done more harm than H1N1 ever will for those affected.

Thus far the only network to take even a modest step back has been CNN and it had a piece this morning relating some of the above information that we have been circulating for the last two days. Ref: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/29/swine.flu/index.html

The reality is that being no more diligent about personal hygiene than you would normally (sneeze into a handkerchief or tissue or into the shirt sleeve, wash hands thoroughly, discard used tissues at once) and avoid coughing or sneezing into the open will normally be sufficient. The need to follow this protocol stems from the fact that viruses distributed in an aerosol (cough or sneeze) will linger in a room for up to an hour after the affected person leaves.