Friday, May 01, 2009
H1N1 Mania!
Who's excited about our latest media-created health crisis? No, it's not anthrax or sarin gas this time, it's the Swine Flu, or H1N1 as it has recently rebranded. (Kind of like when AOL Time Warner dropped the AOL.) It's a lot like regular flu, except that everyone is really intensely fearful about it. And who doesn't love a good panic every now and then? Cold sweats burn calories.
My first hint that this had gotten a little out of proportion was when my local Walgreens was completely out of hand sanitizer. Then I saw someone on the train wearing a surgical mask, and it wasn't Michael Jackson. Then they sent around a memo at my work reminding us to wash our hands and to stay home if we feel sick. Really? I usually like to just head in and cough all over people's keyboards. Sharing is caring, as they say.
I mean, I'm not saying that I want to get it. I am opposed to contagions of all kinds, generally. But I'm also not going to haul out the plastic bubble just yet. That's really more of an autumn look anyway.
Who's excited about our latest media-created health crisis? No, it's not anthrax or sarin gas this time, it's the Swine Flu, or H1N1 as it has recently rebranded. (Kind of like when AOL Time Warner dropped the AOL.) It's a lot like regular flu, except that everyone is really intensely fearful about it. And who doesn't love a good panic every now and then? Cold sweats burn calories.
My first hint that this had gotten a little out of proportion was when my local Walgreens was completely out of hand sanitizer. Then I saw someone on the train wearing a surgical mask, and it wasn't Michael Jackson. Then they sent around a memo at my work reminding us to wash our hands and to stay home if we feel sick. Really? I usually like to just head in and cough all over people's keyboards. Sharing is caring, as they say.
I mean, I'm not saying that I want to get it. I am opposed to contagions of all kinds, generally. But I'm also not going to haul out the plastic bubble just yet. That's really more of an autumn look anyway.
