Fear over H1N1 swine flu has subsided after climaxing late last week, when we didn't know what to expect. On Wednesday, the pandemic threat level rose to 5 just before my flight from Oakland to New York. Several passengers sported face masks during the tense ride. But as my co-blogger already described, the atmosphere in New York City the next day felt unexpectedly calm. Residents clamored about their days normally and Chris and I quickly forgot any anxiety we arrived with. A few days later I find myself in Boston, and he has already hit DC and Pittsburgh. Life goes on, and the planet continues to turn with barely so much as a wobble from the flu. At this point, the early analyses suggest the new strain is relatively mild. For terrific coverage of the disease without spin, visit Aetiology and Effect Measure. In short, it appears that maybe we got lucky this time. Still, H1N1 also reminds us of the possibility of a dangerous global pandemic. Sure, it's the stuff of media porn, but the threat is very real--even with 21st century medicine and technology. The swine flu scare demonstrates that it's nearly impossible to predict new strains of the flu virus. But we're also not helpless when it hits, and the worldwide focus should now switch to strengthening our preparations. In today's era of globalization, we need to have the resources in place to deal with a pandemic situation as it arises. We must make sure to have the capacity to generate a domestic supply of the associated vaccine as quickly as possible. (Note: This also involves mitigating the present climate of media-propagated fear surrounding vaccines). Furthermore, it's vital that honest information regarding any new virus be made available to the public as quickly as possible, in a clear manner as possible to avoid widespread panic. Easier said than done. Fortunately, it now appears that perhaps the H1N1 swine flu was mainly a drill. So folks, do you think we're ready for the real test?
