In Case Of Emergency, Read Blog

In a recent post ‘An Appropriate Level Of Concern’ on his very helpful blog Avian Flu Diary (AFD), Michael Coston, asks and answers a key question a lot of people have about the H1N1 flu:

“Just how concerned should the average (insert your nationality here, AFD gets visitors from more than 100 countries) be about this novel H1N1 pandemic virus? It isn’t an easy question to answer. Particularly since many people have a bad tendency to either ignore a threat completely, or go overboard in an extreme over-reaction to it. In view of what we’ve seen over the summer months, I still believe that what is needed is more of a measured `middle-ground’ approach…”

And, he outlines what that “measured ‘middle ground’ approach” means for members of the public:

“So . . . what is the appropriate level of concern you should have about a possible pandemic? Well . . . if you’ve followed the advice that has been offered by this blog and numerous agencies for the past several years and . . .have a good family and business emergency plan, have acquired at least a 2-week supply of emergency supplies, routinely practice good flu hygiene, get the appropriate vaccines when they are available, have and are a flu buddy, are looking out for your neighbors and greater community. . . . then I think (for now, at least) you can simply keep a wary eye on developments and go about your life.

I see no need to hunker down at home, or to live in fear over this virus. This is a serious situation, of course. And tragically, this virus will claim thousands of lives over the next few months. It certainly deserves your attention, vigilance, and respect. But not your fear. Stay informed, of course. Check back here, with Flu.gov, and with my fellow bloggers often. It is, after all, an evolving and fascinating story.

We are likely to remain at pandemic level 6 for a year, perhaps two. Maybe longer. This is the `flu normal’, and we all need to get used to living life in a pandemic. If you’ve done all of these things, and this pandemic hits your community hard (or a hurricane, or a flood, or a forest fire), you will be about as well prepared to deal with it as you can reasonably expect to be. The point, you see, isn’t to be afraid.”