How many times have we seen something that appears to herald the doom of mankind, or at least likely to give us the snuffles only for it all to blow over, or at least fall into distant memory as the next big thing takes it's place. For example, we've had mad cow disease that had everyone avoiding beef and burgers and although bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a real disease, it doesn't appear to have had anything like the devastating effect that was predicted (yet). Similarly SARS (remember that), avian flu, salmonella etc, have all been linked to the end of the world as we know it. Until something else comes along.
I blame the media.
Don't get me wrong. I don't for one moment doubt the authenticity of such health problems, or the anguish that those who suffer as a result, directly or indirectly undergo, but if you listen to the "popular media" (define whatever that is if you can) the human race will be wiped out by the weekend. And it's all usually down to climate change. Or not washing hands properly. Or poor immigration controls. Or just because these things happen.
Me; I take it all with a pinch of salt. Or at least I would if I hadn't heard recently how the salt in my diet will do for me.
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