DAVIE – As the world hears the designation of the current status of the H1N1 influenza turn to pandemic, we are being told not to panic. Well, that is but wishful thinking. So many have already panicked. China holds a number of young people and adults in quarantine, even though as one youngster tells his mother back home he’s feeling well.
Why, the question has to be asked, panic?
Much of any panic now has to do with fear a fear that comes from absolute ignorance. For example, as the Director General of the World Health Organization and as well as Caribbean Epidemiology Officials have been saying, the plain old regular everyday flu kills thousands and thousands of people every year!
In other words, this is not even like what was called bird flu of a few years ago.
So what is really needed here is a sense of calm as well as full disclosure from health officials all over. But there is also a need on the part of members of the public to seek out accurate information on the situation and not hearsay that so many folk so readily indulge in.
There is also a need for people to better understand the migration perspective of the flu outbreak. As many of us have taken air travel for granted, we have not as well tried to understand how diseases spread so easily.
Winston Barnes
Host – “Open Mic” WAVS 1170AM
Voice your opinion on “Open Mic” with Winston Barnes daily on WAVS 1170AM or listen on-line www.wavs1170am.com
