OK everyone, let's take a deep breath.
It seems that some are hitting the panic button on this swine flu deal.
We do need to take precautions and we do need to be on the lookout for those family or friends who might have symptoms. But the flu is a normal occurrence that happens every year and kills thousands of people, usually the very young or very old.
It's like panicking and refusing to fly when there's a plane crash. Air travel is still the safest way to travel, but we give in to the media coverage and non-stop publicity of something that's not that big.
The World Health Organization has raised its awareness level to the highest ever, but don't panic.
World, state and local officials - like Dr. Todd Bell (photo), health authority for Potter and Randall counties - are in control and on top of the situation.
(However, I don't understand why Dr. Bell had a stethoscope for the press conference? Was he checking people at city hall? :).
Posts
Les,
ReplyDeleteThe city called my cell to tell me of a 7 p.m. news conference about the swine flu at City Hall. When I asked about the content of the announcement, that is, I asked if had there been cases discovered, she said she didn't know. She was told simply to call to let media members know of the news conference. Without some information about the content, I felt the city was manipulating the media. I predicted that the announcement would be a non-event either announcing possible cases or announcing there were no cases but we still made it to wash our hands and cover our mouth when we sneeze.
I was right. It was a non-event. . Possible cases? Samples sent to laboratories? Why didn't they just tell us they're a bunch of people in town sneezing, having sore throats and running a slight fever. Good grief, we had a long choir practice last night and I woke up with a sore throat. Should I run out and get a quick test?
So, reconcile your post with the wall-to-wall spew of the flu on the AGN Web site.
Oh, and the stethoscope? It’s a status symbol to show us all he’s a real doctor, the health authority and one who must be obeyed. Let’s all get real.