Wash Your Hands.

There is a pandemic. Check out http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/ if you don't believe me. That is the website for the Center for Disease Control. The first thing the CDC talks about with this pandemic is that they are reporting widespread outbreak, not severity of the disease. Okay, yes, I am talking about the "Swine Flu." Newspapers and News Organizations have demonized this pandemic to such a degree that they have created a certain amount of panic. Yes, it is contagious and in my experience, very contagious. It can be deadly. EVERY FLU can be deadly. Are there precautions? Of Course! Are there treatments? Um, what your mom did for you when you were 10 and couldn't spell pandemic, (the chicken soup, the saltines, and the 7-up) that seems to work as well as anything else.

I don't want to talk about it anymore. What I want is for individuals to be smart about this. The information is released so you can make some adjustments... things you probably should be doing on a daily basis anyway. Get enough sleep. Eat well. Exercise. Don't hang in crowded places. Cover your mouth when you cough. Don't kiss symptomatic people. Don't share water glasses, cola, martinis, or grab someone else's french fries. The single biggest defense: WASH YOUR HANDS!

Wash your hands people. Your hands spread many diseases. People who wash their hands do not get sick as often. Sometimes it is the simplest solution. And, sometimes there is nothing for it. So, alas. You may get sick anyway. It is the flu. It is not cancer. It is not the plague. It is not AIDS. It is not trivial, and we need to be informed so we can protect ourselves, but let's face it, we all get sick from time to time.

We have access to clean water and otc drugs. Make use of them. Doctors will tell you, "Drink plenty of fluids, get enough rest, take aspirin or the equivalent for fever and pain." Okay, wait, I am not trying to be your doctor, I'm just saying...

You know the drill. Do it. Buck up. Take a shower, eat something.

Come back to your work and your life, as soon as possible!