Oink Oink... achoo

You have probably heard about the outbreak of swine flu around the globe. As I write this we have the BBC news on the plasma in the office and are watching as the number of 'suspected' cases rises.

At work, I've been asked to sit on the borough council's crisis response team (in charge of spreading internal messages among staff and managing the council's public announcements. With this position comes the prestigious 'category 2' rank for when (if) the UK decides to carry out nation-wide vaccination. That is category 2 out of 6 - just after emergency service front-line staff who are category 1.

There is so much hype over here at the moment and my friends are gripped in fierce debate over whether this "could be the end of the easy run humans have been having" or alternatively, that it will blow over and end up being nothing (with my mate Mark offering to eat a raffia hat if he is wrong!).

Now, I'm on the fence with this.

I enjoyed Simon Genkinis' column that Mark is using as supportive evidence and agree the media is carrying on like a pack of idiots - loving themselves sick with the 'end is nigh' nonsense. But would we expect any less? That's what they do. Some people panic because they either love a good drama or it gives their job kudos (not you Matty, but some of the people here are full of their own importance right now) or are just a bit naive and believe everything the media tells them...

But at the same time, there is the other extreme of people who are apathetic or laugh and scoff at the warnings (or offer to eat raffia hats!!? : P). My concern is that by remaining ignorant to the issue and not being aware of the possible outcomes, some people may not take health warning instructions seriously and risk spreading their germs because they're too tough or sensible to take precautions.

Like the girl sitting opposite me who is STILL coughing all over the place without covering her mouth (or covering it with a folder before handing said folder to our manager!!) I can't get over it, she is so oblivious. I made a comment about people coughing on me on the tube and she said we are all over-reacting and freaking out that we're going to pick up a' germ' and die.

I know she's not going to give me pig flu but I'd still much prefer her to keep her sneezes and coughs to herself... I don't want a common cold either!!

So my official position is that I'm all for a balance. Awareness and precaution but not over-reaction or panic either.

In saying that... wonder if they make face masks in paisley?!