With the onset of H1N1 flu there are many experts who think that the biggest problem is not the flu itself but the panic that comes with it. The overwhelming majority of people who get the flu will recover with no problem and in fact most people who get it might not even be aware they have it the symptoms are so mild.
Yet with the media hype everyone panics, rushes to the doctor or the hospital, insists on antibiotic treaments than may do more harm than good. The daily reports on CNN/MSNBC/Fox/et al is certainly not helping the situation.
I myself may be dealing with a mild case right now. I’ve got some of the symptoms (tiredness, headache, cough, scratchy throat and mild fever). Yet none of the symptoms are anywhere close to major, and they are all very intermittent. So I’ve taken it easy the last few days, only going to those client meetings I could not avoid (and in conducting those avoided handshakes/etc). I’ve drunk orange and grape juice by the gallon and I’ve slept as much as I wanted.
In short I’ve done what any Mom would have told be to do and all signs are (sorry for those who might be disappointed) that I’ll be fine. Indeed I am still not sure I actually had the flu or if it was just an allergy attack.
Now obviously if I had more serious symptons, high fever or serious cough or anything that really problematic I would have called the doctor. But in my case there was no real need to do that. But I am sure there are thousands of people out there who would have panicked and rushed to the doctor, all to no avail.
So while I’m certainly not downplaying the illness I do think a dose of common sense is just as important as the asprin.