Swine ‘flu - the real problem
Jul 16th, 2009 by Intermanaut
It isn’t that 0.5% of people who’ll require medical attention will die. Or that 100,000 people a day will get it. It’s the inaccurate use of language that everyone from Bill down the pub to the BBC is using when talking about it.
For example, what does this really mean?
He’s called the doctor and has been confirmed that he probably has the real thing.
Forgetting that he hasn’t actually been anywhere for a diagnosis, let alone blood work, and that all he’s done is describe the symptoms of a cold, the key word in there is “probably”. It doesn’t mean anything.
Quick - panic!