| "Apocalyptic" virus worries school, city, nation, world (5/09) | | Print | |
| Written by Emma Lee Moody | |
| Friday, 22 May 2009 | |
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The rumors about swine flu have even reached our school. Six Bay Area school closures had occurred by May 1 due to fear of swine flu and more may occur as the pandemic evolves. Excessive media coverage may lead students to suspect that every sniffle is a sign of the impending spread of the flu, prompting unnecessary fear or panic. News broadcasters should help students remain informed by emphasizing the actual facts of swine flu. Despite rumors otherwise, the “swine flu”— the H1N1 strain of influenza — is not an illness derived purely from pigs and, contrary to popular belief, people cannot catch the virus by eating pork. The flu bug is a hybrid of pig, bird and human genes and spreads from person to person. Since its initial outbreak in Mexico, the virus has spread to the United States, Canada and many areas of Europe and Asia ¬¬¬¬¬ — 34 countries in all. Despite these seemingly dire facts, a pandemic only means the infection has spread around the world, NOT that it is necessarily deadly or dangerous. In fact, recent news reports suggest that this pandemic is rather mild and not more dangerous that the usual strain of the flu. The government has sensationalized these facts, sparking unnecessary fear. This is what occurred when Vice President Joe Biden spoke about the swine flu on the Today Show. “It's not just going to Mexico,” Biden said on-air. “If you're any place in a confined aircraft and one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft.” He also suggested that people avoid the subway. This contradicts the advice of the World Health Organization, which suggests not restricting travel. By making claims that disagree with official government regulations, Biden has created confusion and promoted falsities, prompting the White House to release statements “clarifying” what he said. Some reporters have indulged in a constant stream of swine flu coverage and — further sensationalizing the pandemic — are seeking new aspects of the flu with which to create news. At a White House press conference, a CNN reporter asked if there were “any indications that perhaps this might have been caused by bioterrorism.” Even after being assured by the Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano that the influenza was completely natural, the reporter asked again: “But from a security perspective there’s nothing to rule it out, either, the possibility of bioterrorism?” By repeatedly suggesting that the swine flu is related to terrorism, the reporter gave legitimacy to untrue rumors. An April 27 article on the CNN Web site (www.cnn.com) titled “ Pandemic: What would happen next?” explored the hypothetical effects of an unconfirmed pandemic. “The disease would skip from city to city over an 18- to 24-month period, infecting more than a third of the population” the article warned and prophesized a death count of up to seven million people. “Health facilities will become overrun with patients, and there would be less-than-adequate staffing as medical health professionals fall ill themselves, experts say,” the article stated. Hypothesizing such dire, apocalyptic consequences at the very mention of a pandemic situation promotes misconceptions about the swine flu, suggesting that it is notoriously deadly, when scientific analysis suggests it is a relatively mild illness. Giving legitimacy to rumors and misconceptions about swine flu, the idea of a bioterrorist threat or the possibility of catching the virus from pork products promotes panic that may lead to unnecessary school closures and needless avoidance of air travel. Instead, the government and news broadcasters should give specific facts and government recommendations supported by scientific research, keeping the public calm, but informed. Share this article:           |
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