Swine Flu

[invisionary]

I'm not trying for eloquence here. This is a rant.

Yes, swine flu is scary shit. But realistically every day we go out in the world there are dangers. Do you step out of your house and walk down the street? You could be hit by a car. Do you drive? Accidents happen every day. People get killed. You might be the victim of a violent crime today. You might catch an airborne disease that might make you die a cruel death.

This is not to say that one shouldn't take everyday precautions. Wash your hands and the rest of you. Take a good multivitamin. Eat regular nutritious meals. If you work in healthcare use appropriate protocols for disease control. But unless you otherwise should, you don't need a breathing mask, and you certainly don't need to stockpile food and ammo.

Obsessing over those things which theoretically could happen but have a very small actual possibility is a waste of life. Or did the breathing mask become the new tinfoil hat?

Comments

[From: eponymous]

I do think that people who are living in areas that have been hit with multiple fatalities may find some comfort in wearing a breathing mask--and that that is OK. If it lessens the anxiety that people in those affected areas feel in going about their daily business, then let them don the mask (because it's proven that anxiety can lead to greater illness).

I think that it's important to differentiate between people in affluent areas being overly paranoid, and people with poor access to health services who may feel that they have no viable alternatives.

[From: invisionary]

In such areas I believe that public health agencies have made recommendations as to the use of breathing masks, and if so, trust them I say. This is more aimed at places nowhere near where there have been any reports of such.

This was an undeveloped rant, like I said. I wasn't intending it to hold serious water, this time. :)

[From: passerine]

This is more aimed at places nowhere near where there have been any reports of such.

You mean places like my office? I'm not sure if the cube-neighbors are kidding or serious but I'm sick of hearing it either way. Time to crank up my iPod so I don't have to hear it. *grr*

[From: invisionary]

We hadn't really even talked about this. Are we sharing a brain again? *loveses*

[From: passerine]

I think they're kidding. I also think they're trying to freak out the coworker with OCD. NOT NICE.

[From: invisionary]

Are you ever going to get the chance to smack them, ya know, politely? :)

[From: eponymous]

I do share some of your irritation--I don't like alarmist behavior--ESPECIALLY when it draws attention away from people who are truly suffering.

Ultimately, I think that this whole situation is yet again revealing how ignorant the general population is when it comes to science and medicine. And that is frustrating as hell.

[From: invisionary]

You know the saying though. If it bleeds, it leads.

[From: adalger]

Yeah. This.

I mean, it's not like the CDC has good solid information about what swine flu is, statistics since sometime in the 80s, appropriate precautions, etc., posted on their website or anything like that, right?

[From: invisionary]

But information doesn't sell ad blocks. It doesn't make commercial sense to educate the public. It does make sense to keep them in fear, because if they're afraid they'll stay tuned.

This is why I don't own a television.

[From: passerine]

But...the CDC is a GOVERNMENT website!

You can't possibly trust government information about a disease outbreak, can you?

[Insert ignorant conspiracy theory here.]

[From: dechant]

Over on LJ, I actually saw someone start that crap. O.o

-- she who is tamping down her initial panic.

[From: phoenixsong]

*nod* Stuff like seeing someone on Facebook say "OMG, I ate bacon this weekend!"

*headdesk*

[From: wallycaine.livejournal.com]

See, I had a simlar problem, except it was someone on Facebook dismissing the whole thing out of hand, as a try by 'Corporate America' to distract from the economy. Darn conspiracy theories.

-Wally C.

[From: tajasel]

ohgods yes, this, so much this!