Pune and the Swine Flu

As my city grapples with the pandemic disease a sense of panic has gripped it. In my 8 years of using a face mask i have never seen so many on the display. Ever third person on the street is using a face-mask protecting himself/herself from the virus.

The Government has acted without a doubt but there need to be clearer guidelines on what to do in a patient suspected with flu like symptoms. Asking for a preliminary examination to be done is hardy a guideline.

The media needs to be a bit more responsible while reporting the tragedy. I understand two lives have been lost and it is a crying shame that the doctors in the hospitals did not have the presence of mind to test them both for swine flu and then maybe could have saved their lives.

It is a disease that can transform into mammoth proportions unless the whole administration gets into a unified act of controlling the epidemic. Sensationalism by the news channels does not help anyone, if at all it makes the job of the health professionals all the more difficult, with people panicking everywhere. As i mentioned never ever seen departmental stores housing face masks and selling them for almost 4 times their price. And as if it helps. A disposable mask can stop droplet infections but Swine flu..not sure how much. It can be cured and more focus should be on curing the disease and isolating anyone who has it.

With the proposed closing down of malls and theatres a step in the right direction might be taken to prevent the disease from spreading. However a lot desires to be done by the government and the administration and us people in helping us control this epidemic and come out of it relatively unscathed.