The Plague was on her way to Baghdad when she came across an old man. He asked, “Where are you going”? The Plague answered, “To Baghdad to kill 10,000 people.”

After quite some time, the Plague came upon the same old man who very angrily announced: “You are a Liar! You told me you were going to kill 10,000 and you killed 100,000.”

To which the Plague responded: “I did not lie. I only killed 10,000, the rest died of fear.”

- Author Unknown

This short Anonymous text seems to back recent investigations regarding the influence of Influenza A-H1N1 has had in causing a world wide alert.

As the world panics under a W.H.O. level 5 alert, scientists are now beginning to doubt the aggressiveness and ultimately, the lethality, of the fairly unknown globe trotting virus. Many are beginning to wonder if Pandemic Paranoia was ever in order.

In observing the deaths derived from the seasonal flu, which repeats every year, more than 13,000 have died since January in the United States accrding to the CDC. Across the world, each year, seasonal flu is attributed to the cause of death of 250,000 -500,00 persons.
-ElNorte, per CNN

Where too many precautions taken? Has the world over reacted? I, personally, do not have any answers. I hope this virus does prove to be non-pandemic. I am both thankful and proud of the way our President, Secretary of Health, and citizens have acted in efforts to prevent and contain this mystery virus. I am proud of the way the world has reacted in unity against a common unknown virus.

I feel the actions taken in this event where well founded. For this as well as futures events of a similar kind, the world would be much wiser to overreact than underreact. This event has also opened eyes to very real vulnerabilities within each nation.

In the end, we did what was necessary in facing the unknown, always better to be safe, than sorry.