H1N1: Big Time Epidemic or Big Time Money Maker?

It's the flu people. You will have chills. You will feel achy. You might even have a cough. The only way to treat a flu is with a little time and rest. With that being said, what is with the mass-hysteria?

Unless you have been living under a rock, the whole country is preoccupied with the H1N1 virus, more commonly known as Swine Flu.  Sure, we are all concerned for our health and well-being, but is the Center for Disease Control (CDC), drug companies and the media doing more harm then the virus itself?

Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine has stated "If this swine flu captures our negative imagination, it is going to hurt our health-care system. Our emergency rooms will be flooded with worried people, doctors' phones will be hanging off the hook, everyone will be afraid of every sniffle and wanting to get tested for the flu."

The CDC has reported that about 4,000 people have died from the Swine Flu since its discovery in April of 2009. Scary number, huh? What many seem to forget is that each year 36,000 Americans die from the standard seasonal flu. Suddenly the number doesn't seem so scary, does it?

What are your thoughts?  Do you feel that the whole H1N1 hysteria is blown out of proportion or are you still on a mad hunt for your vaccine? Do you think that this is another way for drug company's to make a buck?