Friday, May 01, 2009
Perhaps the most worried Americans during the current swine flu epidemic are pig farmers, who have dreaded the widespread association of the illness with their livelihood. Since the outbreak began, the pork industry has lobbied hard to change the name of the virus, and finally the Obama administration has been convinced. From now on, federal officials will refer to the growing crisis as the “2009 H1N1 flu.”
Bill Hall, a Department of Health and Human Services spokesman, said the change was justified because the flu virus is actually a mix of genetic material from birds, humans and pigs. “Referring to this virus strain as ‘swine flu’ mischaracterizes the genetic makeup of this virus and inaccurately conveys the notion that the virus is being transmitted by swine,” explained Hall.
Officials overseas have their own suggestions for renaming the outbreak. The World Organization for Animal Health in Paris suggested calling the new flu “North-American influenza,” while Israeli Deputy Health Minister Yakov Litzman, a member of the ultra-religious United Torah Judaism Party, urged the use of “Mexican flu” because swine are not kosher.
Mexico’s ambassador to Israel did not take kindly to the suggested name and filed a protest with the government in Tel Aviv.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Feds Drop 'Swine Flu,' for 'H1N1 Flu' (by Rita Rubin, USA Today)
US Pig Farmers Want a Flu by Any Other Name (Associated Press)
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