The Pig in the Room

If I never hear the words "Swine" or "Flu" again, it will be too soon. In the span of only a few days, the story has gone from backpage news page next to the picture of a kitty playing with a rabbit, to the front page of every newspaper, in every overheard conversation, and composes about 95% of news media content. Media sensationalism is not a new thing by any means; however, this is simply going above and beyond typical fearmongering paranoia.

Let's look at the facts of this so-called "killer pandemic". It is a virus that is new, so humans are likely to have little to no immunity. There is no vaccine, and it is highly contagious. The regular old boring flu is also a virus (the one you only hear about briefly in the pre-winter months), which mutates regularly, and as a result, never infects the same person in the same way twice. So once you get the flu and recover, you're still not safe. It can easily mutate and come back to kick you in the butt at a later date. Additionally, due to this constant mutation, the scientists who developed the seasonal flu vaccine each year can therefore only guess at the virus' composition based on last year's infections. As a result, the population is often just as vulnerable to the flu as if there was no vaccination available at all.
Perhaps the most important factor to remember is that this flu began in an area of the world that is, unfortunately, not as wealthy as our own, and without the standard of health care and hygiene to which we in Canada and the United States are accustomed. Naturally, people in this area may not have the nutrition/physical health or access to health treatments. AKA, less of an ability to ward off disease. It has already been said by many in the media that if you're generally healthy, swine flu will be a couple of days bed rest and you'll be ready to continue on with your life. Just like the regular old flu that's been kicking around since the dawn of human existence.

What I find most comical about this situation is the signs in my workplace's washroom advising people how to wash their hands "properly", to not touch food or their face without sanitizing, and to always "cover your mouth with your sleeve when you cough". As if this is a new concept! If people knew of half the bacteria and viruses, with the potential to make one very ill, that are on their hands on a daily basis, well, they'd probably never leave their house. I know my friends are keen to make fun of me for always carrying around bottles of One Step or Purell, and absolutely refusing to eat anything without washing or sanitizing my hands prior, or use my computer in the morning without wiping it down first. The difference is I've been sick maybe 2 or 3 times in the past year, and rarely enough to have to stay home from work.

And for a huge germaphobe like me, saying I'm not afraid of the big bad swine flu is saying something serious. Of course, no one wants to get sick, and its important to protect the very young, old, and those who are unhealthy from the disease by attempting to quell its spread. Relax - wash your hands and practice good hygiene like a big girl or boy, and you will be fine. Don't let paranoia take over logic - remember, the media is a business. It needs to make money too.