Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Keep it to yourself
I find infectious diseases and epidemics fascinating and scary in equal parts, so I pay attention when they hit my media radar. I got two hits today; coincidence, yes, but not a particularly happy, cheery one given the subject matter.
Firstly, the second series of ReGenesis - a Canadian show about a biotech lab that deals with all sorts of nasty bugs - goes to air topside this coming weekend. What's interesting to me is that the first episode of the new series is already on the torrent networks according to the tracking sites. My bet is that it has been leaked in an attempt to generate buzz...
Secondly, today Aussie health authorities made public statements calling for sick people to wear masks when out in public. This would be a big cultural shift here, it just doesn't happen. It's hard to imagine a Westfields full of masked shoppers. Would Aussies take up masks to preempt an epidemic, or would there have to be an actual outbreak before people take transmission mitigation measures seriously? I suspect the later. Medical dramas are big here, but I don't think even a show as confronting as ReGenesis can be (if it were to ever air here) would be enough to get most Aussies masking up before a lot of people started getting seriously ill.
Mental note: Must remember to ask at work about when we're getting this year's flu shots.
[Tags: Disease, Epidemic, Flu, Medicine, Australia]
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