Comments on: Swine Flu: don’t forget to wash your hands, kids http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/05/01/swine-flu-dont-forget-to-wash-your-hands-kids/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:48:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Andrew Bartlett http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/05/01/swine-flu-dont-forget-to-wash-your-hands-kids/#comment-25856 Andrew Bartlett Fri, 01 May 2009 08:52:59 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=54610#comment-25856 It's hard to complain about the media (and all the rest of us) sounding hysterical about this particular flu virus when the WHO chief says "all of humanity is under threat". Technically "all of humanity" is under threat from getting any virus (or skin cancer, heart disease, etc). No doubt the WHO chief was speaking from a well motivated desire to get people to pay attention to the risks, but it was still a very seriously bad choice of words on her part. It’s hard to complain about the media (and all the rest of us) sounding hysterical about this particular flu virus when the WHO chief says “all of humanity is under threat”.

Technically “all of humanity” is under threat from getting any virus (or skin cancer, heart disease, etc).

No doubt the WHO chief was speaking from a well motivated desire to get people to pay attention to the risks, but it was still a very seriously bad choice of words on her part.

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