Or rather? Let’s not.
Why?
Because it should be a non-story. Instead its everywhere. And its totally irresponsible reporting on behalf of all the news outlets in the UK. Possibly the US as well, but I don’t know about that.
The information is contradictory, the headlines have been proven to be misleading over and over again. And all it is doing is causing mass panic.
I believe 100% in freedom of the press. I don’t believe 100% in bad reporting.
Sample? Okay.
Some major big wig doctor here in the UK said something along the lines of ‘there will be between 2,000 and 65,000 deaths. Which, overall, is less than the regular flu. And don’t quote me as saying “there will be 65,000 deaths.”‘ The next day’s headline in The Times? 65,000 Deaths Expected from Swine Flu
Another doctor said there might be 100,000 new cases every day during the worst of it. The news blurb I heard the next morning on BBC? ‘100,000 new swine flu cases a day.’ As if it was happening that way right now.
Its causing panic. Its scaremongering. And its confusing people.
Pregnant women should avoid crowds? Really? Define a crowd.
Small children should be kept away from nursery and school? Really? Define small child. And if that small child has an older sibling, who could bring the flu home with them, then what do you do? And who watches the small child? Perfectly healthy Mum and Dad who won’t get paid if they take time off ‘just in case’? Who may need that paid time off later, if small child does get the flu?
So what are we doing around here about it?
Nothing.
Because, let’s face it. Its the flu. Its in the air. Not going to school/work/out to the mall isn’t going to stop others from bringing it to you. Its everywhere at this point. The mail man may bring it. The grocery delivery man. Your husband as he comes home from work.
Pandemic does not mean OMG WE’RE ALL DONNA DIE!! It means world wide.
Try to remember that, okay?
Yeah…we had the stupid media epidemic back in May when Swine Flu was just hitting the US. I think maybe…less than a dozen people actually died from it. Not to say that isn’t a bad thing, but its considerably less than regular flu, and it totally didn’t warrant the sensationalism that surrounded it. Its not even a news story anymore. At least not here.