It’s all over the news, you can’t get away from it..according to Yahoo we may be on the brink of the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years.  The internet is splattered with pictures of people wearing surgical masks, a look of fear in their eyes as they hug their children.  We have to read deep in the articles to get any real information, and by then if the media has been effective you’re already scared, stressed, worried or even panicked.  If you’re feeling this way right now I ask you to take a few deep breaths, calm down, and acquaint yourself with the facts of the situation:

1. Currently, the only deaths resulting from the recent onset of Swine Flu are in Mexico.  Everyone who has been tested in the US and has Swine Flu has either recently traveled to Mexico, or been in close contact with someone who has recently been to Mexico.

2. as of 4/27,no one in the US has died from Swine Flu. 

3.  Many precautions are being taken, such as closing schools, canceling community events, restricting travel to and from certain countries.  Keep in mind these are preventative measures, and in no way signal a need for panic. 

4.  As Katherine Andrus, an attorney for the U.S. Air Transport Association, stated, “This is a time for appropriate precautions but not panic.”

The media is kept alive by selling us stories.  The bigger the story, the better the sales.  It is to their benefit to make something more emotionally charged- more people will read it, pay attention to them..etc.  Try to find a balance -keep yourself informed of these events, but do not overreact to them.  Here is an excellent factual source for more information:

http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

 

I wish you the best of health!