This article is from the WebMD Commentary Archive

Oct. 31, 2005 -- How do you warn people about a potential catastrophe without causing panic? It's an ongoing challenge when it comes to terrorism and now to another possible threat: bird flu.

In recent weeks, the news media have sounded increasingly scary warnings about the continuing spread of bird flu from the H5N1 virus and its potential to turn into a human pandemic. All this talk has some WebMD users understandably concerned. A mother with two sick children, whom she says "haven't been anywhere near birds," asks: "Should I be worried this is the bird flu?" An owner of four parrots wants to know: "Has there ever been a case of domestic parrots contracting the virus and then passing it on to their owners?" Another user inquires: "Can a person contract bird flu from bird poop especially all over their car?"

At this point, such fears are unfounded. The vast majority of us face little if any immediate risk of contracting bird flu. And there's not much we as individuals can now do to protect ourselves from what is still largely a theoretical threat.

At the same time, bird flu does have the potential to become a real and very serious public health problem, and there's a great deal governments can and should be doing to get prepared. Scientists have long warned that another deadly flu pandemic is likely, though no one can predict when it will occur or whether it will involve the H5N1 virus. By focusing intensively on this particular strain of flu, media coverage is serving as a wake-up call for policymakers to take long overdue action.

The challenge for journalists is how to convey the seriousness of the threat to society -- and the need for a vigorous government response - without making the danger seem imminent for individuals. A recent WebMD article, Bird Flu: 10 Questions, 10 AnswersBird Flu: 10 Questions, 10 Answers, does just that. Veteran health reporter Dan DeNoon does a superb job of putting this complex issue into context, explaining how bird flu might become a pandemic and what government can do. He also points out that individuals "run a very low risk of catching the virus from poultry" and explains why hoarding the drug Tamiflu, which some are doing, is a bad idea. One appreciative WebMD user writes that "this was a helpful article" that offers "the kind of information that a news article is supposed to be about."

Though our headline-saturated society allows us unprecedented access to news and information, too often it's in the form of nuggets that are easily digested but devoid of context. As a result, we frequently end up confused and unduly alarmed - especially about complicated and personally relevant issues such as threats to our health. The bird flu article is a shining example of how WebMD can best serve its users; it's the type of report the site can and should do more often. By putting the facts into perspective, the article shows how it's possible to educate people about a potential problem without needlessly frightening them. Journalists and public officials alike should take heed.

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Robert Davis, PhD, is the reader's representative. His opinions and conclusions are his own.