I will admit that before reading this thread, I was one of those panicing people over this new strain of H1N1. However, I do usually get worked up whenever I hear about such things i.e Avian Flu, SARS (bad times). So it does seem, after reading these posts, that it is infact the media who are blowing this situation out of proportion.

I mean before this, I would go into quiet withdrawal at the sheer mention of swine flu (and thats hard to avoid at college and other public places when everyone talks about it). But after reading the facts, or at leats I hope they are, that Govinda provided in the first post, my fears are at rest.

And it is after seeing that, that leads me to say it was the media's fault for my concern. I mean before it even hit the news I saw it on wikipedia and I wasn't that fearful of it. But if the media, from the off, told us, or as soon as they knew, that this flu wasn't as bad as previous strains such as SARS, then clearly what would have been the need for me to panic so much? I feel some what stupid in a way that I before this, I'd actually asked for the TV to be turned over whenever it was mentioned on the news!

Such a shame the media has such power over the public.