Thank you, Andre Picard, for some good sense.
I have always thought that the SARS outbreak in Toronto was far overplayed. Contrary to the slap-yourself-on-the-back stuff we hear regularly about such a good job of management, much of it was actually botched.
CBC Radio, which should have better judgment, was one of the worst offenders. Bulletins all the time. Numbers all the time. No perspective at all. Thousands die every single year of regular flu and pneumonia alone. I'm sure the media contributed to the serious economic slump in Toronto.
Now we are getting the same rubbish again. Even perhaps false information.
The WHO has said there are only seven confirmed deaths so far, but the media keep reporting more than 150, a number which if even accurate is not a statistically significant health event in the world's population.
Last, I would just remind people that modern medicine can do almost nothing against flu anyway.
I believe telling people to go to hospital is irresponsible. As far as going to your doctor, well you are lucky if you have one, so why put him/her at needless risk?
When you take someone to the hospital with flu, after waiting hours, you will be told to take aspirin, liquids and perhaps a diarrhea-prevention compound to avoid de-hydration, and rest.
There is nothing else to be done. Antibiotics are a useless waste for viruses. Anti-virals are often ineffective and costly.
"HI, I'M FEELIN' JUS' FINE"
