The Tyranny of Fear and Flu

I have watched in slight amusement as the global paranoia continues to grow concerning the swine flu “epidemic.” Most of the people reading this are horrified by my attitude. Why, oh why, am I not concerned? Don’t I know that this flu has sickened 1000 people in Mexico alone? Don’t I know that it has caused eighty deaths? Am I not aware that the US Secretary of Defense has declared a state of emergency and begun testing at the borders? Have I heard that this flu is resistant to the flu shot? Have I considered the fact that this horrible disease is now popping up all over the country?

Yup, I know those things. And I have great sympathy for the people who have lost family members to the swine flu. So, why would I use the word “amusement” in relation to such a catastrophe? I know a few other things as well. I know that the CDC estimates that 36,000 people die from the flu every year in the United States. Yup, you read that right; read it again just for fun. How many people has the swine flu killed in this county? Zero. In fact, the vast majority of people who have been confirmed as infected have not needed to be hospitalized. They simply develop flu symptoms and then get better. I also know that the flu shot is just a guessing game. It's a very scientific guessing game, being played by some very intelligent guessers, but there is no guarantee that the flu shot will be effective against the dominant flu in any given year.

Why do you suppose everyone is so worried about this? Well, the government isn’t helping with all of the hype. I suppose sentences like, “This is a combination of swine, avian and human flu that has never been seen before,” are a little disconcerting. Yes, it’s new. Yes, there is a possibility that one year the flu is going to mutate into a very deadly strain that will sicken and kill untold numbers. It’s just not this year.

I will continue to teach my children good hygiene, but I won’t hide them in the house or be afraid to let them near other kids. I hope that everyone can learn very soon that life doesn’t get better when we convince ourselves to be afraid to live.