These past few weeks, swine flu has been the leading story on television and in newspapers, including this one.

Is it that big of a deal or has the media made it a big deal?

From our perspective, it was news for Marion County when the first two cases in the state were reported in a neighboring county.

The winter flu each year does not necessarily garner such headlines but then again we take shots to help prevent that.

What makes the swine flu news are the facts it came from another country and there are no shots to prevent or cure the ailment.

Why hasn’t more action been taken to reduce the number of infected people from traveling in and out of the U.S.? I realize border patrolling is a different issue but to allow travel by airplane and through airports seems to be asking for trouble.

I remember a swine flu outbreak many years ago. I guess researchers believed it would never return, therefore the development of a vaccine was not necessary.

What is interesting is the annual influenza typically is the most dangerous to infants, elderly, and sickly people. Am I up-in-arms about this because it can affect anyone — young, middle age, healthy? Is that why it is on the news because it could affect me?

I would like to think that illnesses and diseases that affect anyone would be of concern, regardless if it directly affects us.

To me the front-page news should be the fact there still is not a vaccine for this illness or a way to treat it.

— susan berg