Perspective, Not Panic, Is In Order

MCT

   The following editorial appeared in The Sacramento Bee on Wednesday, April 29:

   Remain calm. The current outbreak of a new flu strain is a test of the resilience of the nation's public health system.

   As a starting point to understand the nature of this test, it's worth recalling that during a normal flu season, 200,000 Americans end up in the hospital and 38,000 people die from the illness.

   The current swine flu outbreak was first identified in San Diego, Calif., in mid-April. As of Tuesday, the tally of laboratory-confirmed cases by the Centers for Disease Control is 64 nationwide: 10 in California, 45 in New York City, six in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio. All U.S. cases have been mild and no one has died.

   In Mexico, however, there have been deaths, though most cases have not yet been lab-confirmed. Some people may have died of other causes.

   Still, this virus differs from the typical flu in three ways:

•    It's a new strain — an unusual mix of genetic sequences from North American pigs, Eurasian pigs, birds and humans.
•    The age group affected is not the usual vulnerable population of small children or the elderly. It has affected young adults.
•    The new strain can jump between species and, apparently, easily transmit from human to human.

   So the question is: How prepared is the public health system to detect, isolate and treat Americans? Well, we're finding out. So far, the system seems to be working OK.

   In the United States, we depend on local public health departments, doctors and hospitals, and law enforcement to identify and respond quickly to disease outbreaks.

   After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, experts recognized the country was unprepared for a major outbreak. In the three years after 9/11, the federal government invested large amounts in local public health preparedness.

   There's still work to do, but in the meantime, there's no reason to panic. Use common sense. Wash your hands. Stay home from work or school if you're sick. The public health system is working to monitor emerging cases of swine flu.

   Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Barack Obama have responded with the right tone — sober, straightforward, swift mobilization but not overreaction. As Obama said Monday, "This is obviously a cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, but it's not a cause for alarm." Now go wash your hands — calmly.

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