This thing is really out of control. Not the swine flu itself, but the incredible number of news outlets carrying on like this thing is going to wipe
out the entire human race.
Im saying swine flu is a good thing (i mean it is highly contagious), but its really not that bad, no more worse than the normal flu. Also like the
normal flu, swine flu is only potentially fatal to those in high risk areas such as:
- the very young
- the elderly
- pregnant women
- those already with respiratory or other chronic problems
According to scientists and virologists, out of every 1000 swine flu cases, 40 people need hospital admission (which is 4%) and one out of those
forty, will possibly die (less than 1%). So for every death from swine flu there are, 999 cases of people recovering. Chances of death are almost
non-existant
In total, last years deaths from influenza in the USA were about 36,000 (with 200,000 hopsitalised). Again, these were mostly those in the high risk
category and those which already had long term respiratory problems. According to the CDC, inlfuenza/pneumonia is the seventh leading cause of death
in the USA each year. In reality, most people recover with no lasting effects.
So please....I implore you.......stop panicking, take appropriate measures (take tamiflu if you're really worried, or dont if you're afraid of it),
like you would with the normal flu, and dont be force fed by the media. Do a little research yourself (use WHO info if possible)or ask a medical
proffesional.
Just one thing to add, i remember watching a news broadcast on swine flu here in Australia. It had about 10 minutes of doomsaying by the media,
carrying on about quarantine, and how bad the swine flu was, and about 30 seconds of a guy with a PhD in Virology, explaining that it wasnt as bad as
it was made out to be. Just goes to show that we are a large flock of sheep (me included sometimes), believing almost anything
