don't panic, but "SWINE FLU COULD SPREAD GLOBALLY"

I like Goldacre and he is right to say that we should take health scares serious, even if previous ones have fizzled out. But surely Jenkins has a point as well? Chiefly is it really necessary for this story to be as endlessly reported as it has been? Isn't there a very real danger that if the media continue to hysterically cover health scares that subsequently come to nothing, then the public is going to take such health scares less and less seriously in the future?

This may or may not turn into a full blown pandemic, whether now or six months from now. But every hysterical, complacent headline and "rolling live blog" on the subject, only increases panic in the short term and scepticism in the long term.

we're famous (thrilling mom-and-kids-on-the-street interview)

Let's see if embedding works. Check out the interview with Rufus.

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go here and click "flu pandemic has parents on alert" to see Rufus, Cyrus, my sister Lucia and me.

http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/wwlp_local_swineflupandemichasparentsonalert_200904290619

third time a charm?

as a hypochondriac who was already stewing with anger every time he had to hear somebody cough on an airplane or in the checkout line, I welcome many of you to my world

awww young rufus

Go, Rufus! And indeed Maria. "Six-year-old speaks more sense than many other commentators": absolutely.

Bloody hell, now 32 suspected (not confirmed) cases in Scotland.

rip the world

Bloody hell, now 32 suspected (not confirmed) cases in Scotland

OK: a mutual friend of ours (this is true) sits next to a dude who's just back from Mexico. So if he and she start sniffling and coughing, that -- by definition -- is a suspected case ... and, you know, in open-plan, air-conditioned offices, the risk of infection covers a lot more than two folk.

I'd have thought 32 is staggeringly low, to be honest.

Actually, er, that by definition would be two suspected cases. Christ, Mr Logic.

Yay the Sewards on TV!

JERUSALEM (AP) — The outbreak of swine flu should be renamed "Mexican" influenza in deference to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork, said an Israeli health official Monday.

Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman said the reference to pigs is offensive to both religions and "we should call this Mexican flu and not swine flu," he told a news conference at a hospital in central Israel.

Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean and forbid the eating of pork products.

So the problem is ...

should I lol?

Oh that wacky Ryanair guy:

The outspoken head of the Irish budget airline Ryanair has dismissed apocalyptic warnings of a global swine flu pandemic, saying that the virus was only a risk to Asians and Mexicans “living in slums”.

Michael O’Leary, who pioneered the 1p fares which transformed European aviation, told a press conference that he did not think the virus that is thought to have killed around 150 people in Mexico would wipe out his firm's business this summer despite UN warnings of a pandemic.

“Are we going to die from swine flu? No. Are we in danger of SARS? No. Foot and mouth disease? No. Will it affect people flying short-haul flights around Europe this summer? Thankfully, no," Mr O'Leary said.

He added: “It is a tragedy only for people living ... in slums in Asia or Mexico. But will the honeymoon couple from Edinburgh die? No. A couple of Strepsils will do the job."

Conditions on Ryanair flights are marginally worse than in Mexican slums in my experience.

and you don't have to pay a pound to piss in a Mexican slum

totally stoked to be flying to south Texas tomorrow

onimo otm btw, I could buy a case of Pringles in any slum for what Ryanair charges me for a packet

this just in, "Strepsils will do the job" - OMG

http://imgur.com/27K39.jpg

Strepsils completely sold out in our local chemist on this news.

the rock dwayne johnson in transit to mexico with convoy of strepsils as we speak- to pick up sean william scott, possibly sean penn, on the way.

yeah NEED to buy Strepsils stocks NOW!

as a hypochondriac who was already stewing with anger every time he had to hear somebody cough on an airplane or in the checkout line, I welcome many of you to my world

― Just one thing I was thinking about as I was getting on the copter (J0hn D.), Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:52 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

my wife had a checkup at her doctor and she told her that the last few days they've had a run on their hypocondriacs, said it's been a blast

Goldacre on Jenkins and his ilk http://www.badscience.net/2009/04/parmageddon/

http://www.bestweekever.tv/bwe/images/2009/04/SWINE%20FLU%20GETS%20VIRAL.jpg

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww my apocalypse-fearing dad just sent me a nice email:

I hope all is going well. We're looking forward to seeing you next week. I know the swine flu is nearing your area, especially since you are so close to the border of Mexico. I have some tamiflu which is supposed to fight that strain of flu. I have two doses one for you and one for John. I also have another drug that increases its potency. We will bring it down when we come for the wedding next week. In the mean time, be very careful. Do not shake hands and try to keep away from contact with others. If you can buy some yourself, please do and I will reimburse you for it. I also have some of the good masks I will bring you. Better to err on the side of caution I think a wise man once said.

This is AMZING bcz 1: he is greedy about stuff he hoards (see '10 virgins' parable for reasons) and 2: he didn't say it was caused BY area Mexicans. Good job, dad!

aw

he is greedy about stuff he hoards (see '10 virgins' parable for reasons)

"But dad, you said I could have two!"

I am feeling sick today with a killer sore throat, and while I'm 99% certain that it's not the swine flu the hypochondriac in me is making a major deal out of the 1%.

my wife puked a few times last night; am considering calling cnn and reporting it as a case of swine flu for the lols, media attention, reality tv show, etc.

yeah i had achey lymph nodes this morning--pretty lol

level 5 now

Looking forward to the bonus level where we can snag some 1-ups.

Holy shit there it is

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6454/sspreviewegrobocod02.jpg

end of level boss

http://iloapp.deadtales.com/blog/news?ShowFileℑ=1238326352.jpg

erm, that's not the right link LOL

wtf is that, where you have to visit the magical cricket tennis ice land

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robocod, best amiga platformer ever.

Think that was a screenshot from the DS version, but yeah, Amiga forever.

this just in: Mubarak regime uses OMG SWINE FLU as flimsy pretext to bully Egypt's christian minority

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_swine_flu

I am feeling sick today with a killer sore throat, and while I'm 99% certain that it's not the swine flu the hypochondriac in me is making a major deal out of the 1%.

A Mexican guy just emptied the trash next to my desk, and as soon as he left, I sneezed.

hold the phone, i can get robocod on my DS ?

I am tempted to wear a surgical mask on the tram, so no one will sit anywhere near me and I'll have a seat all to myself in the morning haha =)

I don't know why but wearing a facemask always makes me feel like I am a member of DEADSY:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_npwobj7uOwo/RriRdkuS3EI/AAAAAAAAACU/9nnKbacgau8/cikk11.jpg

i got some hand sanitizer today. i think i'm safe.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The outbreak of swine flu should be renamed "Mexican" influenza in deference to Muslim and Jewish sensitivities over pork, said an Israeli health official Monday.

Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman said the reference to pigs is offensive to both religions and "we should call this Mexican flu and not swine flu," he told a news conference at a hospital in central Israel.

Both Judaism and Islam consider pigs unclean and forbid the eating of pork products.

So the problem is ...

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10:36 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark

Can I just point out that this minister is the ONLY Jewish or Muslim person on earth that appears to have this concern?

"Yes, people will die from this. It is not a question of whether people will die, but more a question of how many. Will it be hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands?," Robert Madelin, Director-General for Health and Consumer Policy at the European Commission told Reuters."

"He also said a vaccine could be ready in Europe in 100 days."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE53S9E020090429

grotesque idea for an ile poll?!

am significantly more worried about this now than 24 hrs ago