Swine flu over-hyped
Old Town residents skeptical of virus
by Derek McKinley

The H1N1 virus, more commonly known as swine flu, has claimed nearly 900 lives in North America and 2,800-3,700 worldwide according to the Center for Disease Control. Old Town residents, however, remain largely unfazed. Many believe a common sense approach to avoiding illness of any kind is sufficient, and are actively engaging in regular illness prevention measures.

Despite the Center for Disease Control's warnings about the seriousness of the virus, Old Town residents like Jeff Allen believe the reports are overblown by a national media in need of the next big story.



The Maine CDC reports 370 cases of swine flu in the state, including 19 hospitalizations and one death. More than half of those who have contracted the disease are under the age of 25.

With a recent mass outbreak of the virus at Washington State University, the threat of contracting the illness in less hygienic areas, such as college campuses, is hitting a bit closer to home. Dillon Bates, 21, is a member of the university's football team, but he too doesn't quite buy into the coverage.



Liam McSweeney, 21, works part-time at a Montessori school and attends UMaine. It's not that the news doesn't have him worried, he says, but his concerns lie elsewhere.



The World Health Organization expects to have a vaccine by the end of 2009, just as the virus is expected to peak in severity. The vaccination campaign will be the largest since Jonas Salk created the vaccination for polio in the 1950s.

The national CDC has stated that cases worldwide are usually not severe, and most deaths can be attributed to a combination of swine flu and an underlying condition like asthma, heart disease or a weak immune system.

Swine flu is spread in the same way as the common cold or flu by coughing, sneezing or touching infected surfaces and then inhaling the virus. Its symptoms are also similar to the common flu. Personal efforts to prevent the spread of the virus extend only as far as basic hand-washing and other hygienic practices.