So it all started innocently enough with a solitary report on 30 June, when Justine responded to BMA concerns about parents hosting swine flu parties on Radio 4’s Today programme just after 7.30am. She confirmed there had been some discussion on the site about whether it might be better to catch the bug earlier rather than a later, mutated, possibly stronger version. (But we should have known things were on the slippery slope when John/Jim introduced us as mums dot net.)
The BBC then didn’t wash its hands properly or cover its nose when it sneezed and, before we knew it, every BBC local radio station was on the phone requesting an interview, and the story was appearing in the webosphere, and journals such as Nursing in Practice.
WhoTheHelenAreYou deftly fielded the local radio stuff, plus enquiries from far flung corners (ie Canada).
Meanwhile, on another phone nearby Amanda Geraldine Holman Holden Mumsnet, was talking to Lulu from Sky News Online and unwittingly about to raise the threat to pandemic level.
Cut to media requests, site stuff and various other topics, and rumblings from members perplexed as to whether they HAD actually discussed swine flu parties and convinced it was a hoax.
By lunchtime, FluffyBunnyGoneBad was wondering whether Justine had a spade to dig herself out, and GeraldineMumsnet was fielding quizzical responses from members to her Sky News “quote”, which reported her as saying “we have anecdotal evidence on the discussion boards that these parties are taking place”. At last, the meeja had the story it had actually wanted all along.
When three different BBC news operations rang in the space of four minutes we knew it was too late for containment - the story had moved to outbreak management level.
Necking a Tamiflu/Relenza cocktail, Geraldine set off from the Towers at 4.30pm to sit next to Huw on BBC News 24 and admire his make up deny Mumsnetters were serving up pork scratchings, pigs in blankets and (Greggs) sausage rolls at pig flu parties the length and breadth of the land.
For the record: Mumsnetters are discussing swine flu and whether or not it’s better for their children to catch it now before it potentially mutates to a more serious version - but debating whether that’s actually a load of hogwash, too.
What’s unclear is whether swine flu parties have taken place anywhere or whether somewhere along the line someone has been telling porkies.
Tags: BBC, flu, Greggs, nursing, party, porkies, sneeze, swine, tamiflu, webosphere
Bizarre stuff really. I can’t understand parents wanting to give their children what could still be a life threatening illness. Ok, so the mortality rate is less than normal flu currently - but would you pass flu onto your child so they build up the antibodies? No. Swine Flu is at that middling point where no-one should want it, but in the same way it will be an absolute no-no come winter. Love the post, made me laugh with the crossed out bits!