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2009-11-21

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, October 23, 2009 12:00 PM

Don’t panic, but take risk of swine flu virus seriously

Get vaccinated

More than two-thirds of area residents who responded to an Ottawa Herald online poll said they don’t plan to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus.

Those aren’t scientific numbers, but they make it clear a lot of people aren’t concerned about the flu.

That may turn out to be an unfortunate truth.

The seasonal flu kills thousands every year. The H1N1 virus — a wholly separate virus — already has killed seven Kansans, including a healthy adult and a child.

To top it off, public health and school officials have observed that this year’s flu season has started early. It’s the No. 1 reason for school absences at a time when the flu season normally has not started in earnest.

It’s not uncommon to hear people say “it’s just the flu” when they, or a relative, contracts the disease.

And maybe some of those who don’t plan to be vaccinated are just tired of hearing about H1N1 so often.

Whatever the reasons, ignoring the risk is just a way of expecting everyone else to protect you by seeking their own protection.

With as many two-thirds of us saying we aren’t interested, that’s a feeble strategy.

So, let’s compromise.

Don’t panic. But take the risk seriously and be part of the solution for protecting our at-risk neighbors and our children.

Get vaccinated.

— Gordon Billingsley

Herald content director