Colds, Allergies, and the Swine Flu

All around me, throughout my family, workplace, city, and region, are people with issues concerning coughing, sneezing, and sinus congestion. A lot of this (such as my case) has to do with seasonal allergies. But it seems that, at this late time in April, the cold season has peaked around us as well. And that's awfully unusual, isn't it?

Everyone in my family has coughing and sneezing to contend with. I can't go to a grocery store or a Starbucks where there aren't several people who act "contagious" with their sniffling and coughing. And my recent trips to Jacksonville revealed loads of them.

And now, here we are with a swine flu outbreak, spreading from Mexico. That a flu epidemic can begin in mid-spring is also pretty unusual, isn't it? One wouldn't have to go to Mexico and back in order to spread it around others. Schools are letting out for the summer soon and families will be traveling around to other parts of the country and back. If the swine flu spreads just even a little more by then, we could see a critical situation developing in this country.

Although, in comparison with the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic that killed millions, the fatality rate for this swine flu is relatively low (I've heard the figure of around 4% maximum), it must be taken into account that back in 1918, the first wave of that Spanish flu was also relatively benign. And then it mutated into its deadlier strain and returned with a vengeance.

I don't want to sound like a doomsayer, but this swine flu does have me quite a bit worried. And with so many people around me (loudly) dealing with their colds and allergies, it seems more like winter than spring.