Apocalypse Now: Time to Panic

The headline in today's Lexington Herald Leader shouts,

Kentucky Braces For Killer Flu Outbreak

But continues

It's been nearly 90 years since history's worst epidemic tore through Kentucky with a vengeance.The 1918 killer strain of influenza, known as the Spanish flu, often killed young, otherwise healthy adults within hours.

Despite today's medical advances, in some ways, Kentucky will be no more immune to the next worldwide outbreak of a new flu strain.

It could sicken more than 1 million Kentuckians and kill thousands, according to federal estimates.

It's a scary scenario: Packed and overwhelmed hospitals. Delays in getting vaccines and preventive medicines.

Public health experts warn that just such an outbreak will happen someday -- maybe as a result of bird flu circulating from Asia, maybe not.

"We will have another pandemic in the future," said Dr. William Hacker, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

I just wet myself for nothing, apparently. Are articles like this one really helpful to anyone?