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Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 11:30 GMT 12:30 UK

The greater cause for concern surrounds the media hype in both directions: either beefing it up so that some may think armaggeddon is around the corner, or those who describe WHO as scare-mongering! We need a considered response to the scientific evidence, and journalists and ill-informed members of the public do not obviously have all the evidence or the ability to interpret all the evidence that they do have. I do not see any news reports criticising the excesses of their fellow news reports.

[ddstretch]

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 11:29 GMT 12:29 UK

Something that does cause me concern is the fact that the number of cases in Scotland is almost the same as the number of cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland combined? Why is this?

Scotland's population is less than 10% of the total UK population so you would expect, given that the transmission of the 'flu is person to person contact, that the total number of Scottish cases would be 10% the number of those of England, Wales and NI.

Something seriously wrong here I think!

[Nihilist_Materialist]

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 11:10 GMT 12:10 UK

The big problem is that a lot of people dont understand what a pandemic is. Much talk of low numbers of infection and few deaths in this country are of no relevance at all.

A pandemic descibes nothing more than the geographic spread, not how infectious or dangerous it is.

With people now traveling so often aroud the globe it is likely that we will have to live with pandemics more and more.

The media should be responsibile and educate rather than use "PANDEMIC!!!!!" for dramatic effect.

Sean S

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 10:38 GMT 11:38 UK

What I find particularly helpful at this time is how the TV news insists on showing microscope images of the virus everytime the subject is reported. A least I will be able to recognise the virus and avoid it easily. Haven't seen any of the virus around so far so Edinburgh must be swine flu free.

Doctor Sensible, edinburgh, United Kingdom

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 10:37 GMT 11:37 UK

There is a major health emergency going on in the UK at the moment and the Government is doing nothing because the previous Health minister is now the Home Sec. Once againj Gordon Brown's botched reshuffle will lead to 1000's of people dying. Well done Gordon hope that makes you feel happy. Protect the nation? Dont make me laugh.This shower couldnt protect a welk stall.Why no bans on visitors from countries harbouring the virus? Why no ban on travel to these places? Because they are incompetent

pieter van der byl, Rhodesia, United Kingdom

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 10:36 GMT 11:36 UK

The 'Pan' bit means it has spread globally. The 1918 flu is quoted because it came in two waves, a mild as we are having at the moment, and a serious one that wiped out millions.

One month ago there were 6000 cases, and now there are over 4 1/2 times that, and i don't see anyone hyping anything, just the reality. It's here and it's spread globally already, and after BSE, i prefer the authorities took the cautious path.

And anyone who believes it's all hype going on holiday to Mexico?

[SoleConsensus], Wellington, New Zealand

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 10:33 GMT 11:33 UK

> I DO NOT BELIEVE that this is a 'pandemic' as less than 1% of the British population have been affected. <
I think you don't understand what "pandemic" means.

Peter Harrison, London

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 10:22 GMT 11:22 UK

The illness seems generally mild and at the moment - no worse than other types of flu except in some of the symptoms, (coincidentally an anagram of 'swine flu pandemic' is 'unwind limp faeces'), so at the moment there is no need to panic, but caution is advised.

Who put the 'panic' in 'pandemic'? The Press, not the doctors.

L A Odicean, Lower Sidcup

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 09:48 GMT 10:48 UK

Hibernated viruses and bacterias arriving to Earth every second, riding meteorites from the cosmic space. It was so for 4,6 milliard years and will be so during the next 4,6 milliard years as well. There is nothing special about new strain of viruses and bacterias challenging our immune system and/or the WHO daily.
That keeps us fit and resistive.

Tibor TK, Neuss

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 09:18 GMT 10:18 UK

There is absolutely no need for concern. A pandemic merely means the virus has turned up on five different continents! Whether there is only one victim in each has no bearing. So no need to worry, far more being killed on the roads by the minute than are catching this new cold. ANYthing to get the people to panic and fill the coffers of the pharmaceutical companies! It simply disguises the Drugs For Everybody these businesses are hoping to establish throughout the entire world.

Joy Pattinson, Switzerland

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 09:06 GMT 10:06 UK

Swine Flu is the excuse being used in Egypt for the barbaric and inhumane mass slaughter of pigs by in Egypt (Christian owned pigs). This is despite the fact there's not been one case in the country and no similar action was taken against Avian Flu...

This is just one aspect of this "debate" that would sicken most reasonable people and one that's virtually unreported on the BBC. I can only presume it's for the old favorite "reasons of community cohesion"...

[colboysigma]

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 09:02 GMT 10:02 UK

I, for one, am grateful that while so many people on HYS are so confident that swine flu is nothing to worry about, the real experts are beavering away in their labs and at crisis planning meetings, just in case the armchair critics turn out to be wrong.

[yorkshire_graham]

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 09:01 GMT 10:01 UK

The balance between informing people and creating a potential panic is a difficult balance to achieve. On the whole I think that the authorities have righlt erred on the side of caution. Also all the media seem to have made great efforts to explain what is happening and what could happen. Overall we need to be aware but I think the real crunch will come in the winter, when the standard flu virus and the swine flu will co-exist.

Norman Phillips, Stevenage

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 08:53 GMT 09:53 UK

"30,000 infected,141 dead = 0.47% mortality rate."

WHO say they expect 1/3 of the world's population to be infected over the next two years, pretty much whatever we do. Combined with the above that gives a rather chilling estimate of 10 million dead, 100 000 of them in the UK. Again according to the WHO, mainly 30-50 year olds, not the frail elderly.

OK. It's not going to wipe us out, but it's still a pretty big deal.

Steve Linton, St Andrews

Added: Sunday, 14 June, 2009, 08:50 GMT 09:50 UK

Do the WHO have nothing better to do with their time?

Alan, Newport, Shropshire