Thinking Rationally about Swine Flu

By Don Nadeau, on April 29, 2009, in Travel

We don't know the path swine flu will take. That's why it's so good that health officials around the world are mobilizing to gather data about the disease and prepare for the worst.

We do know the some 36,000 people in the U.S. die of regular flu every year. At this time, as Dr. Steven Gardner said, "swine flu [has not been] proven to be any more virulent than regular flu."

We do know that you can take the same precautions you should take against catching many diseases, such as

• not picking your nose,
• not rubbing your eyes with your hand or fingers, and 
• not placing your fingers or hand on your lips or in your mouth. 

You can also stay away from dysfunctional people who do not cover their mouths with a  handkerchief or their arm when they cough.

Focus on reliable information to guide your response. Perhaps the best source is

Centers for Disease Control