'flu'

Another winter, another tedious round of scaremongering in the media. This years panic centres round a strain of influenza which has so far killed 39 people (according to the BBC website). Now maybe it is because I have an interest in such things that it is no great shock to me that 'flu' can be deadly. But really, is there anyone who doesn't know this? And is there anyone who really thinks that 39 deaths, while very sad for the family and friends involved, is a large amount for something which affects so many people?

The BBC breathlessly dubs this particular strain the "Jekyll and Hyde virus" for its propensity to be relatively mild in the majority of people and more dangerous for a tiny minority. Right. So a bit like 'flu' then.

The scaremongering has caused people to rush to their GP for a vaccine which in turn, in England in any case, has led to a shortage of vaccines which has led to yet more scaremongering by the media.

Pfft.