Heard that onions can absorb the H1N1 virus? That there's a special spray that can shield you from the flu? That H1N1 is wiping out entire Asian villages? If you spend much time online, perhaps some of this sounds familiar. In fact, none of it is true.
During any epidemic like the one we're now experiencing, urban legends are inevitable. But the Internet is giving hucksters, hoaxsters, and ill-informed individuals unprecedented power to spread false--and sometimes harmful--information. We need to remain on guard against not only the H1N1 virus but also hype and hokum about it.
One of the latest hoaxes is a widely-circulated e-mail message stating that everyone age 18 and older must create a personal H1NI "vaccination profile" on the CDC Web site. According to the CDC, there is no such program. A link on the e-mail takes you to a fake site that tries to collect personal information, and ironically, may infect your computer.
Other e-mails about H1N1 are perhaps less malicious but equally misleading. One warns that the H1N1 vaccine contains ingredients that cause autoimmune disorders and "a lifetime of crippling illness and early death." Another, urging everyone to "start stocking up on food now," says the virus has mutated and is expected to kill 60% of Americans beginning early next year. According to the e-mail, the CDC is hiding this fact "because they don't want people to panic."
You can also find a plethora of products marketed on the Web that falsely claim to fight the flu. Among them: masks and inhalers, air fresheners and herbal extracts, shampoos and sprays. There's even a fake version of the drug Tamiflu, made of talc and Tylenol.The FDA's Web site lists about 150 products that are not approved to fight H1N1 yet are being marketed for that purpose. And there are likely far more that have managed to escape detection.
Next time you encounter sites promoting germ-killing gels or immune-boosting herbs that promise to protect you from H1N1, think twice before you buy. As for forwarded e-mails you receive about the flu, check out snopes.com or about.com to see if the messages are legitimate. If you can't verify the information with a reputable source such as the CDC, hit the delete key and tell the sender to do the same.
