Comments on: Opinion: Changes in how the CDC tracks flu cases may fan H1N1 panic http://mylocalhealthguide.com/2009/11/17/opinion-changes-in-how-the-cdc-tracks-flu-cases-may-fan-h1n1-panic/ Your source for Seattle health news and information Wed, 16 May 2012 23:56:45 +0200 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: admin http://mylocalhealthguide.com/2009/11/17/opinion-changes-in-how-the-cdc-tracks-flu-cases-may-fan-h1n1-panic/comment-page-1/#comment-472 admin Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:59:05 +0000 http://localhealthguideonline.com/?p=9421#comment-472 It's a interesting column. Public health officials are between a rock and a hard place, if the epidemic falls short of their warnings, they'll be blamed for crying wolf. If the epidemic exceeds their predictions, they'll be charged with negligence. This article is interesting because if does a nice job parsing out the vagaries of the stats on which decisions have to be made. Best, Michael McCarthy Editor It’s a interesting column. Public health officials are between a rock and a hard place, if the epidemic falls short of their warnings, they’ll be blamed for crying wolf. If the epidemic exceeds their predictions, they’ll be charged with negligence. This article is interesting because if does a nice job parsing out the vagaries of the stats on which decisions have to be made.

Best,
Michael McCarthy
Editor

]]> By: Mike Perry http://mylocalhealthguide.com/2009/11/17/opinion-changes-in-how-the-cdc-tracks-flu-cases-may-fan-h1n1-panic/comment-page-1/#comment-471 Mike Perry Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:39:48 +0000 http://localhealthguideonline.com/?p=9421#comment-471 Many thanks for republishing this article. It supports my suspicions that public health officials, including the CDC, invested too much into scaring us about swine flu, much as they did with the earlier swine flu outbreak in 1976. They're now trying to fudge the facts to make their alarm seem justified. Unfortunately, this means that when a really nasty flu comes along, as it undoubtedly will, people will be less likely to heed the warnings. It's the old children's story about the harm that results from "crying wolf" when there is no wolf. It also demonstrates that we need to develop the technology to rapidly develop and manufacture vaccines, so those in public health have to do less guessing. Will our current crop of politicians in DC do that? I think not. Most aren't even taking the time to read the legislation they do pass. Many thanks for republishing this article. It supports my suspicions that public health officials, including the CDC, invested too much into scaring us about swine flu, much as they did with the earlier swine flu outbreak in 1976. They’re now trying to fudge the facts to make their alarm seem justified.

Unfortunately, this means that when a really nasty flu comes along, as it undoubtedly will, people will be less likely to heed the warnings. It’s the old children’s story about the harm that results from “crying wolf” when there is no wolf.

It also demonstrates that we need to develop the technology to rapidly develop and manufacture vaccines, so those in public health have to do less guessing. Will our current crop of politicians in DC do that? I think not. Most aren’t even taking the time to read the legislation they do pass.

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