There has been such an uproar about this outbreak of swine flu. Kids at school were even afraid to eat pork products because they didn't want to get it. Our school district has a Pandemic illness protocol that will shut the district down if there is a confirmed case of the flu in the area.
To me, this is ridiculous. Yes, it is the flu. Yes, it is contagious. Yes, people can die from this. The same can be said of the regular flu, and half-a-dozen other diseases. This flu is indistinguishable from the regular flu as to its symptoms. In fact, if you don't specifically test for it, you might never know if you had it, or not.
As a historian, I know that the influenza killed more people during WWI than the war did. However, that said, with our modern medical techniques and drugs, you have to be in very bad shape already before you have a chance of kicking the bucket from the flu. Either that, or not receive medical help.
Our press does this same thing with every thing. Blow it out of proportion, sensationalize it, exaggerate the risk, or ignore it completely, and bury their head in the sand. It doesn't matter what it is. From politics to football, they can't help building that mountain from the molehill.
A theory on global warming goes so far that even though there is no proof, we have laws and restrictions to prevent it. The liberal press who laud the fame of every liberal who comes down the pike, and criticizes and makes fun of any republiican, no matter how logical his statment cannot see the forest for the trees.
Conservatism doesn't sell papers. Logic isn't headline news. Its not dramatic.
I could use a little less drama in my life. Stick.
2 comments:
Yea, we had some school close until the Center for infectious disease decided the swine flu isn't that dangerous. They are all open now.
i agree!!
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