May 6, 2009 10:47 pm US/Central
Are We Over-Reacting To The H1N1 Flu Outbreak?
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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UIC's Honors College graduation ceremony.
CBS
It's a graduation tradition: a congratulatory handshake along with your diploma. But Wednesday night, the H1N1 flu virus has the
University of Illinois at Chicago banning the handshakes. And UIC isn't alone. CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine questions, is the fear getting out of hand?
It was out of hand. And for some, it still is. It's the age of the Internet, satellites, instant communication. But judging from the precautions people are still taking, you'd think reports that we'd overhyped the flu pandemic were coming by carrier pigeon.
At UIC Wednesday night, the best and the brightest and their families gathered to mark the completion of one of the school's most challenging programs: the Honors College. But something would be missing.
"It really offends my southern sense of hospitality when I cannot shake each of your hands, but I am sure that you will all understand and even appreciate that we are just trying to keep everyone safe," said a woman handing out diplomas at UIC.
And so, one by one, the students received their sashes and certificates without the traditional handshake.
But was this really necessary?
Chicago Health Commissioner Dr. Terry Mason says if they came to him for advice, "I would tell them I held hands in church on Sunday," he said.
While there are now more than 200 Illinois cases of H1N1 virus, few required hospitalization, though the reaction by some seems appropriate for something far more serious.
Take Tito Gonzalez's experience at Mass on Sunday.
"There was no sharing of the blood of Christ, the wine," said Gonzalez. "And the option to not shake the hand but rather wave versus the sign of peace."
When asked what he chose to do, Gonzalez said, "I shook hands, sir."
The Archdiocese of Chicago had said on its website that there are "no plans to suspend or change either the Rite of Peace or Holy Communion."
Though at St. Ignatius Church on Chicago's north side where Tito Gonzalez attended mass, Father Joe Jackson made his own call.
"In terms of what I know today, it's no worse than a normal flu outbreak and we have never done that," said Father Jackson. "It was a nerve-wracking decision."
Dr. Mason, who reacted quickly to the H1N1 flu emergency last week, says you also have to know when to stand down.
"The question I want to ask people is, 'What did you do during regular flu season?'" Dr. Mason said.
Because that's what H1N1 is like, at least here in America. Health pros like Dr. Mason realize that now. But they seem to be having a much tougher time taking down the red flags than they had raising them.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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