In times of a crisis it is important for people to stay calm and informed. Truer words couldn’t be said for the swine flu. The swine flu which previously only affected pigs and in rare cases their handlers, has mutated and in the new sub type of the Influenza A H1N1 virus it affects human and spreads easily when an infected person coughs or sneezes.affected pigs and in rare cases their handlers, has mutated and in the new sub type of the Influenza A H1N1 virus it affects human and spreads easily when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Twitter is a social network and micro blogging site that has received both bouquets and brickbats across the globe. What cannot be denied is the usefulness of Twitter in times of emergency, when people need to be informed and kept abreast of the latest developments. The biggest advantage that Twitter presents in a situation such as that caused by the swine flu is that short and precise messages can keep people informed and attuned to what health agencies and authorities have to say about the swine flu.

CDC and Red Cross on Twitter

The Red Cross and the Center for Disease Control are two agencies that have been using Twitter to send out reliable and trustworthy information to Twitter users who want to take precautions against the flu. It is easy for people to find themselves overwhelmed by what others around them are saying and receiving information from officials helps.

It is not just the common man on the ground that benefits from tweets from CDC and Red Cross but also health officials across the country. Twitter allows these health agencies to quickly and effectively spread the required message and ensures that the required actions can be taken. From advice on precautions that need to be taken when collecting, storing and testing specimens for the swine flu to caring for effected patients, CDC tweets cover them all.

The swine flu in the US has been seen to display milder symptoms that the flu is causing in Mexico. Some of the symptoms include runny nose, cough, fever, muscular ache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The flu is found to affect individuals with a lowered immunity or under developed immune system such as infants, children, pregnant women and elderly people strongly as compared to people with a strong immune system. This makes tweets from CDC and Red Cross for parents especially valuable.

Criticism Against Twitter

There are those who believe that a platform such as Twitter creates grounds for panic to spread and find that the tweets amongst individuals may cause more fear than is apt for the situation. However, what these critics seem to miss is that in times such as these when the call for social distancing is vital Twitter allows people to stay in touch with each other. A certain amount of dread is expected, and this is largely pacified as Twitter gives its users access to information from health agencies and from the government. President Obama is active on Twitter and his presence on the social network is also comforting and reassuring for citizens of the US and for people across the world.

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