H1N1 overplayed by media, public health: MDs

Public health officials and journalists have overstated the importance of the swine flu, a former Ontario chief medical officer of health says.

Dr. Richard Schabas, chief medical officer of health for Hastings and Prince Edward Counties in eastern Ontario, said the H1N1 influenza outbreak needs to be put into proper perspective.

About 200,000 people die in Canada every year from all causes combined, including about 4,000 from seasonal flu.

"By the time all the dust has settled on H1N1, somewhere between 200 and 300 people will have died in this country," Schabas said Thursday during a panel on media coverage of H1N1 on CBC-TV's The National.

Schabas criticized the media for not trying to put the story into perspective, and for being "a little too easy to spin sometimes" by public health officials.

"By the time all is said and done, this is not a major public health event, but you'd never know that from what some people are saying."

Tags: h1n1, hype, flu, influenza, paranoia, death, vaccine, schabas

clipper's remarks: After an otherwise healthy 13-year-old boy died of a H1N1 infection, demand for the vaccine jump drastically after the heavy media attention what was given to a horribly tragic, but still singular death from H1N1. Clinics were forced to shut down due to lack of supplies, and people who really should have gotten the vaccine first (like young children, pregnant mothers and seniors) lost out.

H1N1 Influenza is a mere fraction of the virility of normal seasonal 'flu, and has fewer serious cases and deaths than seasonal 'flu. The normal, sensible steps you take to avoid getting the 'flu every year will work as well for H1N1. Yes, it looks serious when the media focuses on individual deaths from H1N1, but such coverage is deceptive. A few hundred deaths, Canada-side from H1N1 is tragic, but seasonal 'flu will claim several thousand, as it does every year. Just keep some perspective.

Be aware; be mindful, but don't be scared. Think sensibly.

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2 Comments

by wiganfootie on 11-12-2009 12:17 PM

I have had swine flu a few people have died from it in Wigan a small town including a pregnant woman and children,my daughter is pregnant and we are very worried she works with children and had to close the school at one piont becauce of it

by darkeforce on 11-12-2009 7:36 PM

Best of luck for your daughter and her upcoming baby. I'll be sure to pray for their safety.