And it's a Pandemic!

WHO declared the H1N1 virus, better known as Swine Flu, as a pandemic today.

It was surprising that Margaret Chan, did not declare that when Japan, then Australia had community outbreaks. But when Cantoland reported their first case of local human-to-human transmission, suddenly we were all worried and WHO decided to call the highest alert level. Did it help to note that she is from Cantoland originally?

The reason for calling in Phase Six is clear. There is wide global outbreak of this virus. Eventhough the number of fatalities are not very high, the fact remains that this virus affects many people in multiple countries. And we are just begining to see it spread to the developing and third world countries.

There have been reports that older people have immunity due to previous pandemics like the Hong Kong flu or the Spainish flu, while those of us below the age of forty have never been exposed to this virus.

There are two schools of thought:

1. Let everyone get it. Once we all get hit with this relatively mild virus, we would have immunity when it becomes more lethal later on.

2. Use Tamiflu and prevent everyone from getting this virus. However, once the virus mutates. We.are.screwed.

I've had my flu jab every year. And I have to say, when I fall ill. I fall really ill. And this has occured every time I have an annual flu jab. Should I be peeing my pants? Maybe.

Or I should just keep up on the hand hygiene, alcohol wipes and face masks.