End of the second wave?

Judging by the drop in swine flu figures over the last few weeks, it would seem we are coming to the end of the second wave. Could it be the end of swine flu or will there be yet another wave in the new year? We will have to wait and see. In the meantime I'm off on a week's holiday ahead of Christmas so it seems a suitable time for a break. I may add any breaking news on here. And keep an eye on my other blog, Copeland Crack. For those not from Cumbria, I should explain that 'crack' is a dialect term for gossip or chat - not some suspect drugs!

Caption competition

It's the must-have toy for all swine flu followers: A swine flu cuddly toy from GiantMicrobes! And I'm prepared to go to all the expense of givine one away free to the person who comes up with the best caption for the picture of me holding the GiantMicrobe (above). Just email your caption to alan.cleaver@whitehaven-news.co.uk by midnight on December 31st 2009 and the best one will win.

Swine flu spin

Doing my usual trawl of swine flu news, I came across the startling news that "The UK’s Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson resigns". And this world exclusive was in the Pharma Times - had this unusual news service really scooped the BBC et al? Er, no. Having been tricked into clicking on the link I was duly told that he is due to resign in May - as has always been planned, after 12 years dutiful service. If I need to increase hits to my website I usually resort to reviving the Parton sea monster story or I light a Chinese lantern and wait for UFO reports to flood in. But hats off to The Pharman Times for some delightful swine flu spin.

You can quote me on that

In addition to swine flu headlines, I keep an eye out for swine flu quotes. And the 'distance' of a few months is already showing one or two of them to be dangerously naive. Take my favourite from Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary (The Times April 28, 2009): “It is a tragedy only for people living ... in slums in Asia or Mexico. But will the honeymoon couple from Edinburgh die? No. A couple of Strepsils will do the job." It would be  funny if the people of Scotland hadn't been so badly hit by swine flu.

And I'm not sure how genuine this one is (it's doing the rounds on the net) but it seems to illustrate how in the early days even someone getting swine flu was considered news: "People in the town of Chipping Sodbury were shocked to learn today that a member of their community had swine flu."

Leave emotion out of it

The post at the end of my Whitehaven News blog from Mary Grady is typical of the frustration felt by many people hearing conflicting views about the swine flu jab. She asks for my opionion and I always have to start by saying I'm a journalist, not a doctor. But I'm not going to chicken out of stating my view: Yes, I would get the swine flu jab (I have asthma so will no doubt get called up at some point). Mary says it is "very emotional" trying to decide. Well it is but emotion is probably the last thing you need to make the decision. I'd rely instead on cold logic. Which is more likely - getting swine flu or getting complications from the swine flu jab? In short, getting swine flu. Both are rare occurrences at the moment but it's no good starting to get a bad reaction to swine flu and then wishing you'd had the jab. If you're deciding to have or not have the jab it has to be based on 'something' and "just a feeling" ain't no good. So you have to base your decision on cold scientific logic - in which case there's no argument: have the jab and stay well. These articles on the New Scientist website may also help you: Swine flu - eight myths that could endanger your life.

Christmas Cheer

I'm worried that this blog is a bit too depressing at times so for Sunday here's a piece of good news and Christmas cheer to show it's not all doom and gloom in flublogia. It concerns a Wiltshire man who came close to death with swine flu complications but is now on the mend and could be home for Christmas. Credit where credit is due to the health professionals on the front line in the swine flu war. See Wiltshire Times.

Cold snap to freeze out swine flu?

The temperature in Britain has dropped faster than Tiger Woods' trousers. It's been about 2C today and could drop even lower tomorrow. I'm willing to be corrected but this seems to be good news for the fight against swine flu - the virus preferring warmer weather. The old myth that cold weather gives you colds is true but only to a certain temperature. This cold snap is hopefully cold enough to even freeze out swine flu. Certainly everyone is wearing scarfs now which are probably as effective as face masks ever were!