http://www.eagletribune.com/puopinion/local_story_206001947.html?keyword=topstory
Published: July 25, 2009 12:20 am
Editorial: Let people make own risk assessments
People deserve to know when a disease declared a pandemic threatens their health, or that of their loved ones.
Unfortunately, that has not been the case with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.
It is true, thankfully, that swine flu has not become the public health catastrophe that was originally feared. Most people infected by it have recovered, and it has so far not affected a significant percentage of the population.
Still, those who are frail, elderly or with compromised immune systems are clearly at greater risk than those in the general population. And the stance of state and local officials ? that the general public does not necessarily need to know when a case of swine flu is confirmed, is troubling.
It is, understandably, more than troubling to Danielle DeLisle of North Andover, whose daughter, Cassandra Dupont, 13, is now fighting for her life in a Boston hospital. Cassie has other significant health problems ? she has a liver disease that required a liver transplant when she was 7. She also suffers from asthma and pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in her lungs. She is now the third case of swine flu in the town.
But nobody knew about the first two cases until this past week. They were contracted by a student at the Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsborough and by an elderly resident. Both have since recovered.
Local health officials contend that neither of those cases posed a risk to public health because the patients were isolated after the diagnosis. Dr. Thomas Trowbridge, chairman of the local Board of Health, said town officials were simply following the recommendations of the state Department of Public Health when they didn't report those cases to the public.
Why would the state make such a recommendation? Is it because they fear people will fly into a panic?
That kind of parental, patronizing attitude toward citizens is far too prevalent, and it is time for it to stop. If a disease is of such global concern that the World Health Organization declares it a "pandemic", then local health officials should be informing the public when cases are present in their communities.
People should be presented with the available information and allowed to decide for themselves how to respond to it.
Indeed, while both the student and the elderly resident were isolated after their condition was confirmed, the student contracted the virus over the April vacation week.
As DeLisle observed, in outraged wonderment, "Who knows who came in contact with that kid (before the diagnosis)? If a child gets it, it should be public knowledge."
Swine flu is not a lethal threat to most people, nor is it running rampant through the Merrimack Valley. But it does put people at risk.
Public health policy should allow people to decide for themselves how much risk they are willing to assume.
Published: July 25, 2009 12:20 am
Editorial: Let people make own risk assessments
People deserve to know when a disease declared a pandemic threatens their health, or that of their loved ones.
Unfortunately, that has not been the case with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.
It is true, thankfully, that swine flu has not become the public health catastrophe that was originally feared. Most people infected by it have recovered, and it has so far not affected a significant percentage of the population.
Still, those who are frail, elderly or with compromised immune systems are clearly at greater risk than those in the general population. And the stance of state and local officials ? that the general public does not necessarily need to know when a case of swine flu is confirmed, is troubling.
It is, understandably, more than troubling to Danielle DeLisle of North Andover, whose daughter, Cassandra Dupont, 13, is now fighting for her life in a Boston hospital. Cassie has other significant health problems ? she has a liver disease that required a liver transplant when she was 7. She also suffers from asthma and pulmonary hypertension, or high blood pressure in her lungs. She is now the third case of swine flu in the town.
But nobody knew about the first two cases until this past week. They were contracted by a student at the Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsborough and by an elderly resident. Both have since recovered.
Local health officials contend that neither of those cases posed a risk to public health because the patients were isolated after the diagnosis. Dr. Thomas Trowbridge, chairman of the local Board of Health, said town officials were simply following the recommendations of the state Department of Public Health when they didn't report those cases to the public.
Why would the state make such a recommendation? Is it because they fear people will fly into a panic?
That kind of parental, patronizing attitude toward citizens is far too prevalent, and it is time for it to stop. If a disease is of such global concern that the World Health Organization declares it a "pandemic", then local health officials should be informing the public when cases are present in their communities.
People should be presented with the available information and allowed to decide for themselves how to respond to it.
Indeed, while both the student and the elderly resident were isolated after their condition was confirmed, the student contracted the virus over the April vacation week.
As DeLisle observed, in outraged wonderment, "Who knows who came in contact with that kid (before the diagnosis)? If a child gets it, it should be public knowledge."
Swine flu is not a lethal threat to most people, nor is it running rampant through the Merrimack Valley. But it does put people at risk.
Public health policy should allow people to decide for themselves how much risk they are willing to assume.
