I do not want to marginalize the impact that the recent deaths in Mexico have had on the victims of swine flu and their families.  However, a sane and rational discussion of the actual threat of this outbreak should make us all seem a bit silly in the light of morning.  Media fear mongering and government agencies trying to justify their existence have whipped the American public into an inappropriate frenzy that needs to be checked.  I am here to provide a voice of reason.

First, I take exception to the word pandemic.  Between the years of 1918 and 1920 the Spanish Flu took about 40 million lives worldwide by some estimates.  That was a pandemic.  The Asian Flu of 1957-58 took the lives of about 1 to 1.5 million people.  That was a pandemic.  The Hong Kong Flu of 1968-69 claimed the lives of 0.75 to 1 million people.  That was also a pandemic.  As I write this, most reports put the death toll in Mexico at 68.  That is definitely not a pandemic.

How many news reports have had headlines such as “Flu Pandemic” or the “The Coming Pandemic and You?”  Yesterday I was listening to an Italian disease expert give an interview to the BBC declaring that she was on “red alert.”  When asked what “red alert” entailed, she outlined that her staff was on call 24 hours a day until this crisis was over.  I would imagine that her position is on call 24 hours a day as a general rule.  Come to think of it, I am on call 24 hours a day.  Does this mean that every designated Infection Control Officer for every facility in the United States is on red alert status all the time?  This reminds me of an episode on the Daily Show where it was reported that the government had upped the Terror Level to Black Watch Plaid.  Nice job guys.

Let’s pull this bus over on the side of the fear mongering turnpike here for a second and take a common sense look at how flu is treated today.  Look at the statistics above and please take note that each successive pandemic claimed fewer and fewer lives to the point where we have not had one in over 40 years.  Flu has a few symptoms that can devastate people.  These symptoms are fever and dehydration.  If not checked quickly, the condition can lead to shocky states and pneumonia which can be fatal to people with weakened immune systems such as the very young and elderly.  But also take note that fever and dehydration are things that are very easily treated by modern medicine.

In the early part of the 20^th century we still had an industrial/rural society with a health care system that could not respond to outbreaks.  IV fluids were not really existent.  Antipyretics like Tylenol® and Ibuprofin did not exist.  During the last two pandemics, the hospital system was much more capable and ready to respond.  However, even then EMS was not common place and our health care system did not adequately plan for such occurrences.  The same is not true today.

The only thing we need to fight flu is fluids and antipyretics.  Seriously.  Dehydration can be fought with normal saline and ringers.  Fever can be fought with Tylenol®.  We even have anti viral medications now such as Tamiflu® and Relenza® which are stockpiled and very effective.  This isn’t a filovirus people.  It’s the flu.  An outbreak of the flu in this country can be fought off by public service announcements, extra Tylenol®, and IV fluids.  Really, it’s that simple.

Now, there should be cause for concern and the CDC should be tracking this.  This particular flu outbreak has a few notable issues.  As of this writing, 68 Mexicans have lost their lives.  This should not be ignored by any means.  However, what the media is not telling you is that many outbreaks of flu lead to dozens of deaths from the complications I have outlined above.  Older people with compromised immune systems will succumb to pneumonia.  That is just a fact of life.  However, this particular outbreak has claimed the lives of some healthy adults.  That too is cause for concern.  CDC tracking, public service announcements, travel advisories, and the ordering of extra supplies are all appropriate measures in a situation like this.

However, fear mongering is inappropriate.  And calling this a “red alert” pandemic is just plain irresponsible.  The over taxation of 911 services across the nation due to stupid calls from overly excited citizens could probably cause more deaths from increased EMS response times then all the deaths we have seen in Mexico this far.  If I was the director of one of these world health services or the CDC I can guarantee you that some of these people who have given interviews over the last couple days would have lost their jobs when they got back to the office.

What are the real causes for concern?  Where should we really focus our efforts?  Mexico.  That’s where.  Plain and simple.  Their society is very much industry/rural.  There heath care system is easily over taxed and susceptible to outbreaks.  Their EMS system is not as advanced.  Sound familiar?  Add to this the fact that Mexico City is horribly over populated.  The close proximity of the residents could help this thing to spread, and that is cause for great concern.  But have we sent any aid to Mexico?  I haven’t heard of it.  I am sure our CDC is down there right now bullying heath care providers and telling them what they are doing wrong, but are they shipping any fluids, Tylenol®, or Tamiflu® down there?  I would like to hear those news reports if they have.  But that’s not as good a headline as “Run For Cover: The Sky is Falling!”

If any developed countries like the United States lose a half million people over this, I will gladly eat some crow.  I will be the first to post a public apology on this blog.  However, if this happens in Mexico, India, or China I am going to be screaming bloody murder and saying “I told you so.”  Take a deep breath, clear your head of clutter, and see if you don’t agree.

Be safe out there.  Don’t panic.  Stay hydrated.  Keep your fever down.  And will pig farmers out in the Hollar stop calling 911 please, okay?  Sheeesh.