You do not have swine flu

April 28th, 2009 at 11:32am Linda Grist Cunningham

You do not have swine flu. You likely do not have any kind of flu. You are unlikely to come down with swine flu. And, if you do, you are unlikely to die.

Take a deep breath (and I said the same thing to my newsroom types.) We are not in a full-blown crisis. We are scaring the pants off each other over something that might-be. We are using apocalyptic words that guarantee only one thing: When — if — we actually need to use them, no one will pay any attention.

Influenza is a serious thing. We should pay serious attention so we can be prepared. To that end all this over-the-top stuff from goofy masks to travel bans is good for practicing. Think disaster drills. They’re good things.

But, for heaven’s sake, we’re letting the cable news shows and the instant-news of the Web create a news event out of smoke and mirrors.

Be smart. Wash your hands. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze. Your mother ought to have taught you those things when you were two. But don’t imagine yourself into a case of swine flu.

And, read this terrific piece from Howard Kurtz at the Washington Post.

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