That was probably a poor pun. It’s not my intention to make
light of this serious, sometimes fatal disease. Instead, I have to poke at the
virus-like panic that has spread through major media outlets.
As a “member of the media” myself, I have a unique perspective
when it comes to news coverage. Most regular news consumers also are well aware
of the panic that can follow poor or incomplete reporting.
The word “pandemic” fits nicely in a headline and it has a
shock value that sells papers. And, regardless of what any purist may tell you,
journalists are in the business of selling papers — or websites, or mobile
device apps.
Last week the Post and Courier ran an editorial headlined,
“Don’t let Zika induce panic.”
“Zika is exactly the kind of epidemic that tends to cause
people to panic — and generates plenty of sensational headlines to boot,” the
paper’s editorial board acknowledged. In conclusion, though, they warned,
“Panicking is the worst thing we can do.”
As reporter Lindsay Street states in today’s edition, the
Zika virus can have little to no effect on most people, although there is a
higher risk of birth defects in women who are pregnant.
Because the virus is spread mostly through mosquitoes,
Lowcountry residents have perhaps taken a greater interest in the story. After
all, mosquitoes are something we know a little about.
Arguably South Carolina could claim the pesky insect as its
state bird. Luckily, Louisiana and Minnesota already have dibs on that claim.
Mosquitoes, however, have continued to be the bearer of
horrible diseases throughout time.
According to the American Mosquito Control Association,
“Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism — over one
million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year.”
A million is a big number, but most of those deaths occur in
places with poor access to health care, consequently the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention is urging people to get educated on this latest virus of
note.
The medical world first identified Zika virus in the 1950s,
and it has occurred primarily in equatorial regions in Africa, Asia and most
recently Central America.
Like its cousins, yellow fever, West Nile virus and other
horrible sounding diseases, Zika exhibits itself through flu-like symptoms. In
fact many people who contract it don’t even know they have it.
In today’s front page news story, Sarah Hearn with Carolina
Women’s Care in Summerville said the best thing people can do is learn about
the Zika virus.
“Information is power. I want my patients to be informed,”
Hearn said.
She said the best place to find up-to-date information is at
the CDC’s website at cdc.gov.
The other thing that people can do is to keep their
properties clean and free of standing water, use bug spray, see a doctor if you
think you may be sick, and don’t panic.
Of course if you want to panic think about this, some of
those million people who die every year from mosquito bites contracted many
other more ominous diseases: malaria, dengue, encephalitis and yellow fever.
Remember West Nile virus? Mosquitoes. Heartworm? Mosquitoes.
As someone who spends quite a bit of time outside, I’ve come
to accept that mosquitoes are just one of those annoyances like sunburn and wet
socks. OK, wet socks aren’t quite as bad as yellow fever and they don’t cause
birth defects in pregnant women.
So perhaps I’m not giving this disease proper respect. But
here’s the thing, there are many things out there that can kill you. A little
preparation and a moderate amount of education will make you feel more at ease
the next time you go outside.
David Kennard is the executive editor of Summerville
Communications, which publishes the Berkeley Independent, Goose Creek Gazette
and Summerville Journal Scene. Contact him at dkennard@journalscene.com or
843-873-9424. Follow him on Twitter @davidbkennard.
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