The latest outbreak of the influenza virus is giving journalists something new to talk about. Companies are restrcting travel to and from Mexico City and the US is declaring it a public health emergency, though President Obama is telling the US not to be alarmed. Meanwhile, the World Organization for Animal Health, according to The New York Times, is telling all of us not to call it the "swine flu" because people will think they can get it from eating pork. Huh?
What's really happening here? It's a good news story. Americans have grown tired of hearing about the economy, how the healthcare system is a mess, and we've long since figured out that "reality TV" is carefully staged. We needed something more interesting: an epidemic that can strike anyone, any where fits the bill.
Stay tuned.
You are so right! I had on GMA for 10 minutes this morning and went into a panic. I even considered calling out because I didn't want to bring the little guy in to daycare. What if a kid there is already infected with the swine germs?!?! What then??? We all shall perish!!! A plague on both your houses!!! I mean seriously - the little bit I saw was nothing but gloom and doom. They played sound bytes of government officials saying things like "We expect more hospitalizations and more deaths in the coming days." And then Obama is saying, "if your kids are sick, keep them home." My son has a runny nose - should I have kept him home?? What constitutes sick? I need answers people! The whole fate of the world hangs in the balance! AHHHHHHHHH!!! (moral of the story: don't watch the news right now until they find a new topic that doesn't possibly involve you and your loved ones in any way -let's throw a kid down a well or something! LOL).
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