The Swine Flu!

It's everywhere! The Swine Flu epidemic is sweeping the nation. Casualty numbers are rapidly increasing, and the best advice experts can give is to freeze several gallons of milk, stock up on canned goods, lock your doors to the outside world, and pray to God for deliverance.

Not really. For those of you who panicked reading the preceding paragraph, take a brown paper bag (one that is brand new and has no chance of being contaminated by the aforementioned virus--of course someone would have sneezed on it during packaging) and breathe in and out. It's going to be okay.

Let's briefly examine this cold that has the United States and the rest of the work in a frenzy. What do we know about Swine Flu? It's a new virus that causes its victims nausea, high fever, vomiting, and coughing. The illness has caused a number of deaths but is mostly treatable. The best way to avoid catching Swine Flu is to have cleanliness habits such as washing hands before and after eating and after using the restroom. Your susceptibility to the virus depends on a number of factors including immunity and age. So now I'm confused--what about Swine Flu is so different from the FLU Flu?

The Swine Flu is new. That's the reason for the fuss. Advice for avoiding the illness is exactly the same as it has always been. Symptoms are the same. Effectiveness of the treatment is THE SAME. so, let's all take a breather. We are going to make it through this hype. Right now all we need to worry about is surviving the upcoming Apocalypse. (That was a joke. Calm down.)

--Ashley Dailey, Editor