Do you think health authorities around the world have over-reacted to the new flu strain?

Sunday 03rd May, 04:10 PM JST

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WilliB at 02:06 AM JST - 4th May

Short answer: They absolutely have over-reacted. By crying "Wolf" (or "Pig" in this case) they made possible future danger worse.
lizheng at 02:08 AM JST - 4th May

One has a better chance of dying from a lightning strike or your standard, run-of-the-mill, annual flu strain than by this Mexican swine flu. Ask yourself what has ever come from the WHO save corruption and incompetence.
bamboohat at 10:23 AM JST - 4th May

government bodies run by appointed people will seize on anything to try and increase their own relevance.

Interesting clip on YouTube from Ron Paul. He explains that when this swine flu thing came out in the seventies, they rushed to make a vaccine. Problem is that the vaccine itself killed more people that the actual flu.
DeepAir65 at 01:06 PM JST - 4th May

hell yes - and certain institutions in Japan are falling for it hook line and sinker.

Think for yourselves people and think objectively. If you sneeze maybe something went up your nose...
Tatsumaru at 02:31 PM JST - 4th May

Anyone can over-react to a situation. The true question should be, are the health facilities capable of matching their over-reactiveness with preparedness and results?
blvtzpk at 06:07 PM JST - 4th May

I was in a computer store in Niigata today, and I was obliged to disinfect my hands on entering the store (at a 'disinfection station' at the entrance). That's overreacting, but the store is not an 'authority.' Nonetheless, I am interested in how much press this is getting in other countries versus that in Japan.

In Japan I am always reminded of the threat of foreign invasion - be it bugs, questionable food products, flora and fauna, or just simply we gaijins.
nandakandamanda at 06:37 PM JST - 4th May

Bird flu is still ready to roll and now there's this new kid on the block. The people of Hong Kong were super ready to move quickly and clamp down this time after their experience last time with Avian influenza. Perhaps we all need to get ready for one of these bowling balls to hit us... constant prevention may be the way of our future?

But no, I don't think the health authorities themselves have over-reacted. If anything they are playing it fairly fine. Look out for this winter!
BTADT at 07:23 PM JST - 4th May

Doesn’t matter if A(H1N1) mutates into obscurity, or resurfaces in a few months as a pandemic killer of all pessimistic cake eaters, nations around the globe need to get into their supply closets and dust off their gear and procedures for dealing with such threats anyway….
BTADT at 11:09 PM JST - 4th May

Anyway, if you want a cure, post all nations lab notes up on line. Cant do that? Why not???? Afraid of your own kind???? What??? Do you have to keep it in the selected know? Yeah, what is your human???? Divided and quartered is the burden of mankind regardless of your faiths. If each of you see yourselves and correct that, then maybe, just maybe, you will get a reply. Aye… bye....
USARonin at 11:16 PM JST - 4th May

Of course they over-reacted.

They always do.

Scarin' people is good for scarin' up money for the media and 'health organizations'.

The UN's WHO has been a bad, expensive joke for decades.
USARonin at 11:51 PM JST - 4th May

-just got some breakin' news that Mexico says the 'swine flu' hysteria was unnecessary and they've ordered Mexican businesses to open up and move on.
teleprompter at 01:10 AM JST - 5th May

Their worries are somewhat justified. They constantly vilify America but when the sh*t hits the fan they whine like little girl scouts and demand America solve the problem.
WMD at 09:12 AM JST - 5th May

Yes of course they overreacted. USARonin nailed it
JoeBigs at 09:26 AM JST - 5th May

I do not think it is an overreaction, this swine flu is dangerous and needs to be watched.

Of course the Mexican authorities will try to get the country moving again. Other than drug export their next big business is tourism. They have to show the world that it is ok to come back to Mexico.

But I for one do not trust the Mexican government. They need to make money and the only way that happens is if they get people working.
jessssicaaa at 04:07 PM JST - 1st June

i have a secret looks around suspiciously my mums a nurse... looks again she said its no more serious then the normal flu, both can kill, its just this is a different kind so people dont know if it will mutate into something worse. So they are causeing world-wide panic just in case ;D