Who would have imagined that the world would soon see a disease whose name itself would be quite a mouthful? And that too mouthful of a curse.
Enter Swine Flu!
Wonder who coined the word ‘Flu’! Sounds like a jet plane flying around at will, and landing itself unannounced at unwelcome destinations.
Sometimes the name of an ailment itself is enough to send shivers in the hearts and minds of people. Why call diseases as Malaria, Cancer, Rabies, etc.? Why not make a list of diseases worldwide, and assign them harmless codes such as A1, B1, etc. Atleast, they won’t sound as fatal as they actually are.
Coming to Swine Flu, quarantining people enmasse may be back into fashion. Our computer anti-virus programs are experts in doing that, but when it comes to human beings, it is as good as imprisonment. Imagine an outlandish news headline like – “PM jailed to avoid infecting Parliament”!
Things will get bizarre if this new air-borne invader into our immune system ends up creating a new bazaar for preventive masks. Yes, masks that would soon mask out one’s identity. People would be recognized by their signature masks, rather than their faces. For those who love variety, there would be night-wear and party-wear designer masks as well.
Not to mention, a big opportunity for pharma companies to come up with another well-marketed, yet ineffectual drug.
VENKATESH 