the little epidemic that wasn't

Last May the World Health Organisation downgraded their criteria for a pandemic from a "world-wide serious transmissible infection" to a "world-wide transmissible infection" Thus H1N1, clearly not even as serious as the annual seasonal flu, was upgraded to the status of pandemic. Why did this happen? Could it have been the furious lobbying carried out by the multinational drug companies who manufacture the vaccines and antivirals?

The government, anxious not to be accused of dropping the ball, launched an unprecedented campaign of "protection" for its people. Now GPs are being asked to immunise even healthy children between 6 months and 5 years (they did at least drop their plans to immunise everybody) But if I am asked my advice in the surgery, I say not to bother. There has not been enough testing in children to justify a small benefit for a relatively unknown risk.

My problem: if this is what they're going to do for a relatively minor "pandemic" what are they going to do for a genuinely serious one- like if H5N1 makes the cross-over into a human form? Because then we'll really have a huge problem on our hands, one that could kill millions in Britain alone. Let's hope the human race stays lucky..