I got to thinking about this swine flu stuff. I mean you have to – the media is freaking me out with it. So yesterday I start coughing and sneezing, and though my rational self says, “Amy, everything outside is blooming. It’s just allergies,” my irrational self wants to run to the computer, get online and check the swine flu symptoms.
And why? I mean, the flu comes around every year. And it mutates and becomes hybrid or whatever they keep calling it. And just the word “pandemic” gives me visions of rats scurrying and the grim reaper tolling his bell. The media hype machine has pictures of masked people and dead pigs everywhere. It really gets in the mind and makes you rethink every ache and pain and sniffle.
Of course, there is something to be said for being prepared. I’m not against that in the least – disinfecting public areas, squirting Purell on your hands several times a day – hey, I’m all for it. I just don’t like how easy it is to have the media (and government) scare the willies out of you.
Now, I haven’t done all the research on this. As far as I’m concerned, this is just my opinion based on nothing but…my opinion. But how many people die each day over something that can be stopped? Say, like the real “swine” problem – deseases related to obesity. I don’t see the government or the media screaming, “Put down that doughnut or you’re gonna die!” Nope, hasn’t happened to me yet (and I love doughnuts). Think about all the problems that go with being overweight – diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. So when we compare the number of people dying with the swine flu to the number dying each day just from eating too much swine, the numbers can’t be close.
Of course, I get it – there’s nothing to be done to prevent swine flu. There’s something that can be done to prevent looking like a swine. As for me, I think today, I will try for more fruits and veggies, more water, and less fatty foods. Good prevention strategy.
How about you – has the Swine Flu freaked you out? Or are you perfectly rational?
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Swine flu hasn’t gotten to me. It helps that no outbreaks have been recorded in my area. And of course, the kid not being old enough for public school to bring home germs only adds to my relaxivness.
But then again, while in the grocery store, I noticed kid putting his mouth on the buggy and the words “Swine Flu” popped right in mind
Yeah, I know, Keri. The things I see little kids do – and don’t get me started on buffets. I hardly ever eat them because of little kids’ habits. Yuck.
But my kids are in school and don’t think twice about drinking from the water fountain and digging in the dirt. I am always on them about that.
The swine flu has not really gotten to me. No one around here has gotten it, and they say it is going away, but I kind of got scared when I called my mom.
She told me she had some kind of virus, but it went away after a couple of days. That was the only time I got kind of worried.
We’ve had several schools close in the area because of suspected cases. But now they are saying it isn’t that bad and they are opening back up. I think it’s been really blown out of proportion. I just tell my kids to wash their hands!
It freaks me out, especially when I read about the ones who’ve died from it. My daughter teaches school in AZ and I worry about her.