# 780
In the schizophrenic world of newspaper editors we seem to either get placating headlines telling us everything is under control, or scare headlines telling us to run for cover.
Yesterday, a UK paper in Lincolnshire ran this headline on their website.
FLU PANDEMIC 'IMMINENT IN THE COUNTY'
While I certainly accept the idea that a pandemic could start at anytime, the word `imminent' takes on a whole new meaning.
Here is the entire article, for your perusal.
FLU PANDEMIC 'IMMINENT IN THE COUNTY'
09:45 - 17 May 2007
A Flu pandemic outbreak "is due" to hit Lincolnshire, councillors will be told tomorrow.
The county's emergency planners received the warning during a local government conference on the country's ability to cope.
Despite a lack of evidence to suggest that an outbreak is imminent emergency services are planning for a pandemic claiming up to 700,000 human deaths in Britain, Lincolnshire County Council members will hear.
Councillor Peter Robinson will deliver the statement during a meeting of the full council.
His statement will read: "The time intervals between the flu outbreak at the end of World War One, Asian flu and Hong Kong flu suggest that another outbreak is due."
As reported in the Echo in March, the council's emergency planners have been asked to identify additional burial land in the event of an outbreak.
In Lincolnshire up to 40 per cent of the population could be infected, of whom 2.5 per cent, about 7,000 people, might die.
Tomorrow's meeting is at County Offices, Newland, Lincoln, at 10.30am.
The body of the article clearly states that there is a lack of evidence that any outbreak is imminent, yet the headline screams a different message.
The text of the article is relatively hyperbole free, and tells us that emergency services are preparing for a possible pandemic, and that by historical standards, we are overdue for another pandemic. The headline makes it sound like the pandemic has already started, which it obviously has not.
Headlines, of course, are not generally written by the reporter. Editors write the headlines.
It would be helpful, though, if they bothered to read the entire article before doing so.
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