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I live in NYC, and nobody is even talking about it here. I think about 10 people have died, which is about the number that die from the regular flu every year. Generally, it's affected babies, old people, and people with weakened immune systems. If you're healthy, I can't imagine there's anything to worry about. It certainly has had no effect on day-to-day life here.
Slight correction, there are actually millions of people who die every year from the seasonal flu, but because the media doesn't report it - people don't realize it.
For the OP, tell your father to do the research himself and not reply only on the media. They will only tell the story that will make people watch them daily. The only "risk" of the H1N1 strand is that we do not have a vaccine that can prevent it like we do with the seasonal flu. But, the symptons, risk, and treatment of it is no different from the seasonal version. If you are healthy, you will be fine even if you did catch - just like you would be with the seasonal flu. If you are not healthy, then you would have the same risks as the seasonal flu.
First, even if swine flu returns - and the only reason the media stopped calling it "swine flu" was due to PR pressure from the pork-lobby - it will return in the next flu season, which isn't summer.
Second, fairly few people got it, statistically speaking. This is a city of 8 million, after all.
Third, people that caught it reportedly already had other health issues.
It's really not a realistic worry.
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