Dont Panic, Prepare
Ruth A. Karron is the director of the Center for Immunization Research and Johns Hopkins Vaccine Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Ruth R. Faden is the executive director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
As the numbers of reported swine flu cases increase, anxiety over the possibility of a pandemic is a natural response.
But now is not the time to panic. Panicking never helps; moreover, it distracts from things we all should be doing to reduce the impact of swine flu on ourselves and on others.
Wash your hands and dont panic.
To that end, stay informed and follow evolving guidance from local and national public health authorities. While its always important to follow basic hygiene practices, you should also contact a health professional if you or someone in your family develops flu-like symptoms (fever with a cough or sore throat).
Dont go to school or work while you are ill, and be prepared for the possibility that public health authorities may ask you to stay at home for a period of time to slow the pace by which flu is spread.
Making sure that you have enough food and water at home is good for your family, and may help public authorities provide for those who are unable to do so for themselves.
Details about the severity and numbers of people infected are still coming in, but this is general information that should help with any potential pandemic and will keep us all from panicking.
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/swine-flu-a-cause-for-panic/