h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Bel, that was fascinating. We have been subjected to the same hysteria here. They keep giving out the numbers of new cases (in the thousands) yet they ceased swabbing long ago, and most people are not going to the doctor so it seems to me the figures are nonsense. My son was ill, and was diagnosed by telephone as having swine flu, though he didn't take the medication and recovered naturally!

The only cases that I can (almost) believe are those who died in hospital, most of whom had underlying illnesses anyway. The number of deaths seems no more than normal during the flu season. You have reiterated all my suspicions. My other half is due to have it, having had the normal seasonal flu jab, because he is classed as vulnerable, but I am not sure about it. I shall leave it to him to decide. I just do not trust what we are being told.

It is a comfort to know that the country my Dad always regarded as perfectionist, can make a muddle of it. So far it seems to have gone smoothly here

Thanks for writing.

Websailor

Thank you.

I think they've stopped taking swabs here, although I'm not sure they give the diagnosis on the phone.

They don't publish all the new cases, either (except it's a celebrity), and you're right, I don't think the amount of casualties is higher than during the normal flu season. However, it's different age groups which die, so maybe that's what it is mainly about.