How Scared Should You Be?

This article brings up very valid points about this swine flu paranoia going around the world right now. It says that the regular flu kills about 30,000 people each year while the swine flu has had limited casualties and the people who have passed had probably not even been tested for it, or not properly. No one talks about the people who die each year from the regular flu, so why is this one gaining so much attention? This author thinks it is because although this virus may not get to be an issue on a large scale, it is only a matter of time until there is a global pandemic that does cause thousands of fatalities. In other words, the article says that this is a good trail run for the world to attempt to cope. Virus' ability to mutate into something that is far more dangerous than previously thought is addressed too, and I think this is one of the most important things to remember. This virus might not be very dangerous right now (the little boy who started it is perfectly fine today), but it could be much more fetal in a matter of days depending on the mutations it takes on.
by: Jill Prendeville