Déjà flu
Kenneth Long
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Opinion
The breathing mask has become pandemic-chic once again.
Swine flu has surfaced as 2009's first big pandemic, but the virus will probably spread more health worries than actual swine flu cases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, the U.S. has 40 confirmed cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) infections with one hospitalization.
Mexico has only 26 confirmed cases, but might have over a hundred deaths related to swine flu.
While many are warning that the swine flu has pandemic potential, I can't help but feel like I've heard this before.
Bird flu? SARS? Déjà flu?
While it's important for the health community to prepare for a serious health crisis with vaccines and other precautions, chances are this will blow over just like the other recent health scares.
The swine flu will probably cause more economic changes than health changes.
According to the CDC, swine flu can't be contracted from eating pork and pork products. Instead, it's contracted from contact with infected pigs or humans. The stigma left by the swine flu scare, through name alone, might leave members of the pork industry under the weather.
On the plus side, the health care industry and basic first aid products can expect the usual increase of revenue that go with health scares. Campbell's, Pepto-Bismol and 7 UP might not get a bad deal either with people pigging out on the traditional American cures for basic sicknesses.
The CDC Web site offers basic advice to keep the pig flu at bay such as covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze, washing your hands with soap and avoiding sick people.
Duh.
If the only thing we can do to prevent a "possible pandemic" is to follow basic etiquette, then this will probably either blow over and be forgotten about, or blow over like Stephen King's "The Stand" and bring in the Antichrist.
Swine flu has surfaced as 2009's first big pandemic, but the virus will probably spread more health worries than actual swine flu cases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, the U.S. has 40 confirmed cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) infections with one hospitalization.
Mexico has only 26 confirmed cases, but might have over a hundred deaths related to swine flu.
While many are warning that the swine flu has pandemic potential, I can't help but feel like I've heard this before.
Bird flu? SARS? Déjà flu?
While it's important for the health community to prepare for a serious health crisis with vaccines and other precautions, chances are this will blow over just like the other recent health scares.
The swine flu will probably cause more economic changes than health changes.
According to the CDC, swine flu can't be contracted from eating pork and pork products. Instead, it's contracted from contact with infected pigs or humans. The stigma left by the swine flu scare, through name alone, might leave members of the pork industry under the weather.
On the plus side, the health care industry and basic first aid products can expect the usual increase of revenue that go with health scares. Campbell's, Pepto-Bismol and 7 UP might not get a bad deal either with people pigging out on the traditional American cures for basic sicknesses.
The CDC Web site offers basic advice to keep the pig flu at bay such as covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze, washing your hands with soap and avoiding sick people.
Duh.
If the only thing we can do to prevent a "possible pandemic" is to follow basic etiquette, then this will probably either blow over and be forgotten about, or blow over like Stephen King's "The Stand" and bring in the Antichrist.
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