The media generally just regurgitate the press releases that land on their desks especially if they are sensational to be sure. More thorough investigation and assessment form the media would be nice.

Leading the way in the scaremongering is usually politicians and bureaucrats who are attracted to matters that scare the public thereby justifying their powerful and expensive positions. Power and funding has been successfully diverted in the latest example – the swine flu which predictably behaves like any other commonly arising new strain of flu.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10577277

Like or Dislike: 0  0 (0)

Rovinj,

The definition of a pandemic (quoted from Wikipedia) is:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a pandemic can start when three conditions have been met:

* emergence of a disease new to a population;
* agents infect humans, causing serious illness; and
* agents spread easily and sustainably among humans.

Which means swine flu is a pandemic, even though it isn’t killing many people (flu is a serious illness).

I agree with you about the media scaremongering. I know three people who have had the swine flu. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but it isn’t like malaria or any of a number of other diseases which kill many more people year after year.

Like or Dislike: 0  0 (0)

Malaria kills more people in one hour than this “pandemic” has claimed in all. This swine flu does not meet the definition of a pandemic so why are we calling it one? The media is going on like we were in the middle of the Black Plague or something. This is ridiculous. The media are just fear mongers. Nothing boosts ratings better than spreading fear and causing panic. Shame on you!

~ rovinj

Like or Dislike: 0  0 (0)

Forgive me, but this is a story? Don’t think this one guy represents “the Samoan community” either.

Like or Dislike: 0  0 (0)