Don't let the panic of swine flu alter your plans to spend a day in Tucson

April 30, 10:03 AMTucson Getaways ExaminerNancy Dickinson

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Czech Health Minister Daniela Filipova uses a bell to open an emergency meeting of European Union health ministers to address the swine flu crisis at EU Conference Center Kiem in Luxembourg, Thursday April 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

Rumors abound with regard to the swine flu.  Every day, it seems there's a headline or two, or twenty.  However, the voice of reason is beginning to rear its ugly head and editorials are beginning to pop up regarding putting this into perspective a bit.

First, several countries are closing their borders to "outside" porl products.  While swine flu initiates in the pigpen, it is now spreading via human to human contact.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) you can't get swine flu from eating pork.

Second, people are opting to listen to the rumors, rather than look for facts.  So prevalent is this particular penchant, on April 27, 2009, Jon Stewert's Daily Show spoofed this, interviewing one of his correspondants at the "Center for Stuff I Heard From Some Guy".

World leaders are calling for calm from the general population, including the European Union's Health Minister, Androulla Vassiliou, asking people to remain vigilant but to not panic.  He went on to say, "...we should not panic, we have to be prepared."

CBSnews.com jumped on the bandwagon today with their editorial, "Swine FLu is Bad, But Panic is Worse".  In this article, an opinion piece, goes on to say, "...government officials - never willing to let a good crisis go to waste - seem more prone to extreme measures than the rest of us." With Joe Biden telling us to "...stay home", it would be easy to believe this could become an epidemic like the country experienced in 1918.  However, even President Obama is asking us to remain calm, saying during a press conference, "The most important thing right now that public health officials have indicated is that we treat this the same way that we would treat other flu outbreaks, just understanding that, because this is a new strain, we don't yet know how it will respond."

To allow your ordinarily good sense to fall to wayside in lieu of rumors, fear and innuendo is plain crazy.  

To help put things in perspective, each year, a new strain of influenza comes into the United States.  Each year, the CDC issues a vaccination created to combat the various strains that become our guests.  Per the CDC, roughly 200,000 Americans each year are hospitalized due to complications from the "flu".  Of those 200,000, roughly 36,000 die from "flu related complications".  Each year, we don't have the panic that the swine flu seems to enjoy.  In giving in to panic, one is allowing their lives to alter on a profound scale.  Treat the swine flu like any other flu if you are exhibiting symptoms: stay home, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, wash your hand frequently, see a doctor if a fever is present.

This particular point can't be reiterated enough: Swine flu is treated with specific medications and they can only be gotten via a prescription from your doctor.  If you suspect you have swine flu, contact your physician immediately.

• CDC's fact sheet, "The Swine Flu and You"
• USAToday opinion piece - Flu facts and fiction
• Swine flu?  A panic stoked in order to posture and spend
• CDC site devoted to swine flu
• Is the swine flu freaking you out?
• Swine flu, the lessons of 1918 and your civil liberties
• Possible swine flu endemic ignites spammers & scammers
• One case of swine flu confirmed in Arizona