Segue into today's topic: the swine flu. The swine flu is currently CNN's #1 top headline. As a matter of note, it has been somewhere on CNN's front page since April 20, four days BEFORE it was clinically identified as a new strain. Which tells me that on April 20, when CNN ran the headline, it wasn't the swine flu: it was just the flu.
So what do we know about the swine flu, now that CNN (and every other form of media known to man -- including my favorite morning radio show) have been telling us all about it for the last 10 days? Forgive me if I stick to U.S.-only statistics -- I'm just egocentric like that.
We know that 109 people have confirmed cases of it.
We know that 1 person has died from it.
We know that it is contagious, and is endemic to humans.
And so I pose the question: how is the swine flu different from the real flu? Which of course leads to the follow-up question: why do we care??
The CDC estimates that 36,155 people die every year in the United States from the influenza virus. That comes out to ... what? ... 99 people every day? And here we have one death in 10 days from a virus that is so similar that only a bacteriologist can tell the difference? I fail to see how this is front-page news at all, let alone for 10 days running. I mean, this is like the Avian influenza epidemic all over again. How many people died from that? 248, worldwide? Although in the swine flu's defense, at least it's more media-worthy than SARS, which only had something like 27 cases in the U.S.
Why don't we get some real news? Where is Monica Lewinsky when you need her? Where is that photo of Senator Obama not saluting the flag nor singing the National Anthem? Harry Potter sparking Satanism in children is better media than the swine flu. Goodness, even the new Mountain Dew Throwback, which is made from real sugar, is more interesting.
And the ironic thing is that the swine flue has NOTHING to do with swine. It's never been found in a single pig! But how much fear can CNN generate by calling it "the influenza A(H1N1) pandemic? And according to Mark Feldstein -- a former correspondent for NBC, ABC and CNN -- "If you scare people, they'll tune in more."
5 comments:
Thank you Kninsa! Just when I was starting to get too wrapped into this whole "swine flu" thing you snatch me out of the media whirlpool. You are my touchstone of reason and practicality.
My sentiments exactly. My kids brought home a paper threatening to close the schools if we send our kids to school when they are sick. With the statistics you have laid out, what the heck?!
(cough) Wow. I can hardly see the screen through my fever induced hallucinations. I am sure I better go home from work. I wouldn't want to cause a pandemic! (cough)
Amen! I'm ready for some new headlines too...although my kids are quite excited about the swine flu, because our school district sent home a note warning parents of possible school closures if any cases appear here! The kids are hoping...
I completely agree with you. My roommate and I were talking about this very thing this day. People are freaking out about this when the regular flu seems just as bad.
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