Edited 06/11-09 to add: Yep, it’s a pandemic.

The World Health Organization is expected to declare a level 6 alert, meaning a swine flu pandemic, today.

Besides not panicking, the main thing to remember in light of this (hypothetical/near future) WHO development is that calling H1N1 a “pandemic” has more to do with the spread of the disease than its severity. While most people have experienced mild symptoms and needed no hospitalization with this strain, at the same time it’s popped up in 74 countries now.

In fact, according to that link in my first sentence, authorities’ fears over the swine flu have more to do with overwhelming the medical system than with the actual severity of symptoms. Plus, the declaration will/would amp up vaccination production and containment efforts.

And if you need any more reasons to choose preparation and rationality over panic, here’s another swine flu article for you, and this one involves a gun.

Filed under: News & Research, The Sickroom