Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

There is such a thing as too much information.

But in the case of H1N1, we believe there cannot be enough information shared with the public.

We have to wonder just how many confirmed cases are in our school systems, in our communities or even in our neighborhoods.

Everyone will, of course, react differently to information when it is provided. Some will take with a grain of salt, while others will probably panic.

There has got to be a fine line between setting off mass hysteria and informing a concerned public.

Rumors are often worse than reality. The more a rumor is allowed to grow, the more dangerous it becomes.

In the case of H1N1, people are waiting and wondering if they are truly surrounded by the disease or just simply caught up in the rumor mill.

Case in point, it was recently discussed at a Dowagiac volleyball game that there were 80 confirmed cases of H1N1 in the school system.

If that were the case, the school district would probably shut its doors for a period of time to get the situation under control. Another person said there were two cases.

Who are we to believe?

We are sure our health officials are closely monitoring the situation and if we needed to be concerned beyond our current status they would let us know. The same thing goes for our school systems.

Fall is always a tricky time of year to diagnose illness because with the return of students to the classroom, colds and flu are common.

We should all be concerned about H1N1, but it is nowhere near the time to panic. This strain seems to be mild in nature for the time being and if it doesn’t mutate, we should be able to control it.

Parents should monitor their children’s health closely; there is no doubt about it. If you believe your child has the flu, keep them home until symptoms pass. If you are concerned that they may have contracted H1N1, by all means take them to the doctor and get treatment.

There is no need to panic. If everyone keeps a level head and takes care of themselves when they do become ill, we can keep this virus in check.