First and foremost they are talking about the actualities of having the virus, and how it is not as bad as portrayed to us. A man that was reporting on the matter actually got the virus and explained that it was not all that bad, and that the supposedly deadly virus is not nearly as painful as other mosquito borne diseases out there.
Second, there is a mention that the virus is affecting the unborn children of mothers that have the virus. This is because they cannot have an abortion is they were to be infected, IF THEY ARE POOR. This affects mostly people that does not have sufficient access to medical help, because they are not diagnosed, they are also not treated. The average american has access to medical help, and we are aware that this problem might occur and the seriousness of it, something that Brazil was not in the beginning.
Lastly they pointed out that there was an outbreak in Boston. Where ONE person had the virus, and there is no way for him to infect other people, not to mention that it is too cold outside for mosquitos to bite.
I personally want to point out that the media in the U.S. is absolutely absurd sometimes. One of the first things they teach you in "writing for media audiences" is "if it bleeds, it leads" and I cannot come up with a better way to describe the news. Everything is about numbers, and having the most views that they forget to report on the actualities of the situation. The day we are facing a world epidemic there will probably not be anyone left to believe the news, because once again, they are crying wolf.
I stumbled over this video a long time ago when Ebola was the big news, Im a big fan of Russell Howard, he is a British stand-up comedian mostly known for his humoristic take on weekly news in his show "Russell Howard Good News" To prove my point, watch the first 50 seconds, for a good laugh watch the whole thing. P.S some explicit language.
Andrea,
SvarSlettWe had similar thoughts on this. It is very true that the news in the United States will broadcast it through any source possible to get people's attention. It's a somewhat sad truth about our society. One person had the virus in Boston and we all freak out. What's really sad is this virus will actually probably affect a lot of people, especially families, in South America. There was an article I researched and discuss the eye-opening likelihood of this virus affecting millions of people, in a region right below us geographically. In the US, most of us are privileged with the lives we get to live with our medical support and quality household income and sustainability. We really have not much to worry about with regards to this virus sweeping across the America's. I personally will keep in the back of my mind how lucky we are that that is the case. Good thoughts, I enjoyed your post!