Letter to the Editor
The Washington Post
Published in The Washington PostNov. 1, 2005
Coping With a Fear of the Flu
By Jessie C. GrumanFor the moment, the paramount threat of both seasonal and avian flu is fear, ignorance, irrational behavior, panic. While either flu may spread death and illness beyond our control, there are specific things we can do.
For instance, instead of wringing our hands, we could start washing them more often. Get a regular seasonal flu shot now, not only for its own sake but because if you later get the flu, epidemiologists will know it is a new strain and you can begin prompt treatment.
If you have the flu, don't go to work (although that is not easy to recommend to the roughly half of working Americans who get no paid sick days). And for goodness' sake, don't send sick toddlers to the petri dish of day care.
Global viruses adapt faster than humans do, but we must do what we can to prevent or limit disease, or those Asian chickens will really come home to roost.
Jessie Gruman
President
Center for the Advancement of Health
Washington
