It's just the beginning of September, but flu season has already started for many of us. In the United States, over 9,000 people have been hospitalized from the H1N1 swine flu and close to 600 have died as of September 3rd. We have heard predictions that up to a third of the world's population could get the virus and millions could die. That is scary stuff to hear, especially when it seems so hard to do anything about it.
So what do we do? Do we panic and all stay locked in our homes all winter? Are the WHO and CDC blowing this out of proportion and trying to scare us or is it already worse than we think it is? It's hard to know for sure, unfortunately.
Public health agencies have the very difficult job of informing the public about H1N1 and making sure everyone is vigilant without sending them into a panic. I don't envy them at all. It's a very difficult thing to do and a very fine line to walk.
I have an article asking readers what they think about the current flu pandemic and I've had all sorts of answers ranging from "it's a conspiracy!" to "I'm not leaving my home". It seems to me that our individual reactions to the news we hear is more about our perception than it is about what's actually being said. Education about the illness is the most important thing for all of us. We need to know what to look for, when we should seek medical treatment and when we can stay home. The information we are getting about these topics may even change as time passes and we learn more about this virus.
This is why it's so important to remain calm but prepared. Don't let rumors guide your actions, just get the facts and do what you can to stay healthy.
