Some people are over-the-top here. In New York, closing a school where there are no reported flu cases just doesn't make sense. But people are understandably interested in this in a big way, and most of the media are simply responding by covering the story. By and large, I don't think the media is responsible for the hysteria (in this case), and by reporting what's happening is ultimately serving a public need.
4/30/2009 2:14:24 PM