Swine Flu (Strain H1N1)

Wow..! This swine flu has really presented itself to the media as a potential quids in bonanza. We all know how valuable potentially devestating news is, especially when it's a subject of national security, at least in the domain of health. Not only that, but it's relevant to every single one of us! A perfect news opportunity.

True, it's very sad that Swine 'Flu has managed to kill so many people in Mexico and, like all illnesses it should not be taken lightly. However, my particular gripe is with the presentation of outdated statistics as facts despite them being obsolete and the effects of the strain unknown. The current statistic of choice is the devestation caused by the 1918 'Flu pandemic. Whilst it is undoubtably true that it was catastrophic for human life, transmitted to and killing millions, the inference is that medicine has not evolved and nor have strategy since that point and, consequently, the world will be drastically unprepared for a pandemic and the mortality will be similar.

This is simply untrue. Three crucial fields have evolved since that particular pandemic:

1) Diagnostic techniques are incomparable by their improvement. It is know possible to diagnose this influenza extremely quickly in the laboratory.
2) Treatment has improved and widened. The world is now the beneficiary of a variety of anti-viral drugs, such as Tamiflu. Suspected cases and genuine ones alike have been succesfully relieved with these drugs, along with point 1 about earlier detection the efficiency of these treatments is excellent. Healthcare is also more readily accessible to a wider variety of people and governments are stockpiled with said treatments so, in order to contain the virus, drugs will be issued on contamination rather than payment.
3) Lessons learned from history about effective management, stockpiling, isolation, quarantining, screening and prevention of complications all allude to a better success rate in the event of pandemic and also to restricting that possibility.

The key is to be hygenic and vigilant. Feeling unwell with 'flu like symptoms? Call NHS Direct: a sniffle is not just a sniffle at the moment so they will treat these as priority cases and this will allow the government and NHS to isolate all of the current contaminates in the UK, cure them and restrict spread.

Seriously, people. Be sensible and don't fall into panic stricken mode because of a convoluted presentation of the risks by the media. Equally, don't become complacement where your own - and other people's - healthcare is concerned!