Swine Flu: Panic But Remain Calm?
President Obama this week declared H1N1 a national emergency. This — combined with the fact that vaccines for the flu are in short supply — has caused another round of panic.
The declaration states:
[The president does] hereby find and proclaim that, given the rapid increase in illness across the Nation may overburden health care resources and that the temporary waiver of certain standard Federal requirements may be warranted in order to enable U.S. health care facilities to implement emergency operations plans, the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic in the United States constitutes a national emergency.
The real reason for the national emergency is simple. It removes certain legal barriers that would normally stand in the way of local governments being able to take quick action in the event of an outbreak; it’s much like declaring a federal emergency in the wake of a major hurricane — a preventive measure. However, we all know that the words “national emergency” will strike fear in the hearts of people who are prone to panic.
When H1N1 first made its presence known, the media was nothing short of alarmist in presenting the story. Their panicky headlines led the public to start wearing medical masks, keeping their kids home from school, and preparing for the worst. The headlines and network news stories were so over-the-top in their presentation that eventually the ridicule of swine flu became more persistent than the fear of it.
The mania died down, and the people of the world went about the business of catching colds and flus without going into panic mode. It seemed for a while that H1N1 had its fifteen minutes of fame; the media moved on to bigger and more alarming stories. We didn’t exactly forget about the swine flu, but it wasn’t a 24/7 news story anymore and our coughs and colds came and went.
Perhaps they are concerned that with all those students on the internet some will reach such a state of boredom that they find content that presents views contrary to the carefully crafted school indoctrination. With social media permitting rapid spread of these ideas, the Swine flu could set back planned ignorance for years.
Let me suggest that the “real reason” behind Obama’s declaration was to foster more dependence on his government.
The department of health have launch a campaign to encourage NHS staff to have the new swine flu vaccine as concerns over its safety still linger Swine Flu UK
The swine flu swept through this area like a small brush fire and then was gone. The next week the vaccines showed up. The local clinics were clogged with young children and worried parents. For $98.00 a visit they were told to go home and rest without any prescriptions. The worst of the symptoms passed within 48 hours. This was much ado about nothing.
What was most disturbing was the panic and distress. After the flu passed, the people lined up for flu shots knowing that having had or having been exposed to the flu was equal to having the vaccine. Had this been a real emergency then the choas would likely have multiplied. Declaring it a national emergency seems to only be adding panic after the fact. The next potential for emergency epidemic is the side effects of the vaccine.
As a certified Obama basher I could easily gin up some evil intent on the administration’s declaration of emergency but I am afraid there is a simpler explanation.
It’s the CNN/Katrina effect that is driving the problem. After Katrina no President can appear to be indifferent to an apparent crisis. H1N1 has been so hyped as the almost black death that the President is required to react to the alledged grave threat to the nation.
The 1918-19 pandemic itself is shrouded in mythology. Until recently the death rate was assumed to be 5% but now medical historians believe that 90% of the US population came down with the disease. That works out to a not inconsequential .7% death rate but considering the general health of the population that wasn’t all that extreme.
Let’s put that in perspective. The CDC reports approximately 1000 deaths (probably more by now) out of an unknown number of cases. I think it is fair to say that at least 1,000,000 people have come down with H1N1 so far (probably a lot more). If the 5% number were correct we should see at least 50,000 deaths; for .7% the number would be 7,000. During the peak of the normal flue season the weekly number of reported deaths is between 2,000 and 3,000 people for 12-16 weeks. The CDC has stated that we are experiencing peak influenza case levels now so it’s pretty clear that H1N1 is less deadly then the normal flu.
The press thrives on predictions of disaster be it about terrorism, global warming or pandemic. It sells because the public wants to hear the worst and because despite the inaccuracy of news reporting people continue to trust unreliable sources.
Swine flu is a joke and always has been. In most respects its far less dangerous then the “normal” flus that swing by every year.
The simple fact is this is obama playing to the media and to trying to explain government power even if only in the short term to sell the stock pile of Vacs the government bought up. If weren’t panicking and were slightly informed the vast majority of ppl wouldn’t waste good money on getting a Vac that isn’t going to help them and only protects them from a minor form of flu(H1N1).
Obama needs to sell those Vacs and he needs to look like he’s doing something since his polls are dropping like a rock he hopes to present the whole H1N1 scare as a show of his “great” leadership.
For a look at the number of confirmed swine flu cases (reported by CDC & WHO) in the US & the world, check out:
http://www.peterdolph.com/2009/10/how-many-swine-flu-cases-are-there.html
Anybody ever read the book or see the movie by Stephen King called “The Stand”?
Folks THAT is a National healthcare emergency or as close as I ever want to be to one.
What’s going on now is fear mongering and bullshitting of the American people.
I know two people who have had confirmed H1N1 and both survived the flu which went away inside 48 hours.
When folks start dropping dead in the streets that’s when you need a healthcare emergency warning.
I believe the swine flu is valid in so much as it was man made. Baxter got a copywrite on it back in 2007. I also believe that the “national emergency” was called so when he signs the US over to the UN in December it does not need to go to Congress. When the US finds out it will be to late and the people will revolt. I live in California not far from Camp Pendleton and there is a lot of unusal activity going on: building a huge peir,loading all kinds of military trucks, jeeps helicopters. Chinese military have also been sighted (wearing uniforms). Not good, martial law is on it’s way!