As professors we are supposed to have a back-up plan for some kind of online class should campus be closed due to H1N1 infections.

I'm no influenza expert, but I think this is all just to give an impression that the government are doing something about it. It's an overreaction in my view.

Did you know that, globally, ~500K people die every year from 'regular' flu? Whatever that is (not H1N1 anyway). So far, there are 170 reported deaths from H1N1 in the US! I bet more people have died getting hit by buses in the same amount of time!

H1N1 is rarely fatal, unless you are very young, very old or have pre-existing disease. My niece had an H1N1 infection in the UK a few weeks ago. She just enjoyed a vacation in Crete. Totally fine. I'm not saying H1N1 isn't a serious virus, but there are many other serious influenza viruses too. Why is this one getting so much attention? I think it's just media frenzy. Once people start panicking, institutions are forced to make a 'plan'. If it was H3N1, I'd WANT to be locked up in the my house. That bugger is nasty <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />