Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maybe I'm alone but I don't get why the TV media is sensationalizing missing children (not that I am not sympathetic; I am, I think that is a horrible thing for parents to go thru), all the while there have been all these deaths of faceless children from swine flu and the reaction is not outrage but reported matter-of-factly by the media.
There are more children and young people dying of swine flu than kidnappings. Is it reasonable to think the swine flu is much more of a danger and priority to report?
I feel so bad for the parents who are losing their children who are happy and healthy one day, and dead the next.
BTW, the L.A. Times states that the CDC reported "That brings the total to 114 children deaths since the pandemic's start, compared with 40 to 50 in a normal flu season."
I don't mean to sound callous, but what would you have them do? Sensationalize it? Keep a count running in the corner of the screen? For what purpose?
The fact is that more children die from accidents in any given week that from the swine flu over a whole year. It is NOT the biggest killer of children or adults, so I see no reason to blow it up into something it isn't.
Is it bad? Yes, but it's just the flu and not the modern-day version of the Black Plague. In any normal year, roughly 30,000 people die from regular flu and swine flu has a long way to go reach that figure.
Over 25,000 children die every day around the world.
Mod cut: copyright violation
--end of excerpt---
So the very sad fact of the matter is that 114 deaths since the flu began compared to the 25,000 daily child deaths is just a tiny fraction of all child deaths in the world.
Last edited by Viralmd; 10-31-2009 at 07:41 AM..
Reason: Copyright violation
I'm not sure how much more coverage there could be ... it's been swine flu 24 x 7 on the news every day.
And the other poster is right about the deaths being a small number by comparison to many other causes. The fact is, 783,000 people die each year in the US of medical mistakes ... that's 65,000 a month ... but the government declares a national emergency when 1,000 die of the flu in a three month window. If you consider that ... I think swine flu has gotten more than it's fair share of hype and sensationalist news coverage.
That number of flu-associated deaths for infants, children, and pre-adults is not really out of the ordinary in a given year. The annual average for infants and toddlers alone is 92.
for some reason im not really buying this swine flu. i beleive its a regular flu, the regular flu kills more people maybe im being a bit naive but companies are making millions off of this pandemic
Let's not forget that the vast majority of those kids had underlying serious health problems. The death of previusly healthy kids--or adults, for that matter-- from H1N1 is no higher than anuual norms from seasonal flu. This is not to say that swine shouldn't be dealt with as effectively as possible, but, see it is! Vaccines are being promulgated as quickly as possible. What more would you have them do?
Sensaltionalism will help nothing. Swine is out there. Unhealthy kids are at risk. The media is reporting it. CDC and WHO are on the job.
What more do you want? Bumper stickers?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
= strange response, imo.
