Is the danger of swine flu being over-exaggerated by a swine news media? The evidence is yes

For weeks now the news media has been treating the swine flu like its typhoid fever or tuberculosis or some other serious disease that has become an epidemic. But is it? And how serious is it? Is it something being hyped and exploited by the news media, preying on people's fears? Or is it legitimate?

The CNN, on it's website reported the following today ( May 2).

After a week of headlines about the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, many emergency rooms and hospitals are crammed with people, many of whom don't need to be there. "We are spending significant time in the emergency department, calming people down," says a doctor whose company oversees 18 emergency rooms in Southern California. "There is a little sense of hysteria."

Obama has said there is reason for "concern" but not panic. That was probably the poltiic thing to say but based on the available facts there isnt even cause for concern. Yes it is better for the government to be prepared for any worst case scenario. That is the responsible thing to do. But that doesnt mean there is any reason to think a worst case scenario, or anything close to it will come to [pass. And the news media, not missing any opportunity to expoit a story is milking it for all its worth.

CNN has helped fuel the hysteria going so far as to do a segment called "How to Wash your Hands" . No it wasn't perfomed by a clown and it wasnt for children. It showed a three minute video of a woman washing her hands like she was preparing for surgery. No one needed that helpful video from CNN. But in the days of swine flu anything goes.

So what are the facts as they are known regarding swine flu?

Is swine flu deadly?

No. There is one case of a death of an infant in Texas but there has been no reporting on what the health of this infant was before contracting the flu and, certainly any illness is going to be more serious for an infant whose immune system isn't fully formed. Does this make the swine flu deadly? No. Does it make it fatal? No it doesn't.

Does swine flu do any lasting damage?

No.There is not a single shred of evidence or any case that shows getting the flu causes any damage at all. If somneone gets it their eyeballs are not going to fall out. Because it is simply the flu like any other. The fact that its a strain that hasnt been seen before doesn't change the fact that it is still only the flu.

Is it treatable?

Yes. Treatment with antibiotics like any other flu is all that's been needed for all the reported cases so far including New York that has the largest number of cases in the country, and there has been no reportd on any hospitalization.

Is treatment lengthy or difficult?

No. All the cases in New York, mostly high school students, are said to be recovering nicely and none needed hospitalization or any treatment other than conventional antibiotics and there are no reports of it being any different anywhere else.So far its been a matter of a week or two.

Are people who come down with it sick for a long time?

No. Every one of the confirmed cases of swine flu in New York have been recovering quickly once treated with antibiotics.

Is the swine flu really an epidemic?

By what standard? The latest figures say that there are 787 cases world wide (updated 8:18 am May 3) and 145 cases in the United States. That's 143 cases in a country of over 300 million people. Right now there are not thousands, not tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands of cases of many other things in the United States and its not getting the media attention 145 cases of swine flu is getting. What kind of an epidemic is it that If all the people in the United States, Mexico, in fact the entire world, who now have it got up and walked out of Yankee Stadium on a Saturday no one would notice they left?

Certainly no one wants to get sick. No one wants to get the flu. No one want to feel lousy,and of course people should take precautions -- the same precautions one would take to prevent any germ from being ingested and to prevent coming down with any illness. Wash your hands after being out,and never go to your face after coming in contact with people or things outside your home.

But the bottom line is, its just the flu. The lousy, achy,stinky flu.And nothing more.

Obviously it's nothing anyone wants to get and yes it's more dangerous for the elderly and children than healthy adults which holds true for any flu. But something for people to worry or be frightened about?

No.Its just the lousy flu. And to put it in perspective, every year 36.000 Americans die from conventional and known strains of flu.

But the way swine flu is being handled, and in many ways exploited by the news media, with endless stories told with the most dire of warnings in the most ominous tones, its probably a good idea for the country to take precautions to avoid the swine news media as much the swine flu. And I wouldn't be surprised if it's the swine media that is making more people sick.