Really, a few people get the usual dose of flu and it comes to this? The WHO have form for calling for the end of the world; kind of helps their funding to keep everyone panicking.
At the moment we have a small bout of flu except in Mexico. The result is a panic by our government to order flu masks from the US (mark up 150% from last weeks price, go civil service buyers, go) and to issue a leaflet to everyone in the country. After all, there must be many people who have no access to the Internet, TV, Radio, NHS Direct or GP's.
Even the markets, jittery at the moment, have given up and companies like British Airways are rising strongly again.
The country is bankrupt and this is a completely wasteful measure. It does however fulfill the traditional political criteria; something must be done, this is something...therefore the government will look good an in control.
Sadly, I would bet many in Government are secretly willing the Flu to become serious so that they get a bounce in the polls again.
