ABC bird flu made-for-TV movie

[mtnmom]

I happened to see about 10 minutes of this trash tonight. What a bunch of sensationalist crap. It will be interesting to see the reaction(s) among the public, especially among lay people.

What really got me was that they were portraying the H5N1 almost as a hemorrhagic flu, at least in the few minutes I saw.

The media has such potential to educate and influence and instead all they wanted to do was to exploit the sensationalist nature of this potential public health problem to beef up ratings. I can see neurotic lay people (like my mother...LOL) getting really riled up by this type of programming.

Maybe I am judging unfairly because I only saw a few minutes, but I don't think so. Anyone else see any of it? any thoughts?

[indigo girl]

I didn't and I won't. It's not going to help anybody to watch that stuff.

[mandana]

I didn't watch it, but I am really, I mean REALLY, annoyed that my local news did a story - about the movie!!! Huh? So, not only is it stupid to scare the crap out of people with a sensationalized depiction of something that hasn't even happened, but the media now sees covering a made for TV movie about something that hasn't even happened yet as newsworthy! Argh.

Amanda

[CHATSDALE]

the 1918 flu was hemoragic strain...but i don't know if this bird flu is or not

a watched a few minutes it looked like the same old thing like jawss switched it off

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

I was glad that earlier this week, the local paper did a big section about comparing what this movie is like to what the likely scenarios would be, talking to local health officials and answering a lot of questions and such. It was sensible, fair and intelligent, and hopefully will allay a lot of hysterics. I think most people watching it will be intelligent and take this as just a movie?? I really don't understand why they made the movie, anyway.

[sharann, BSN, RN]

I hope they lose money on this one. I don't need to watch it to know how stupid it will be. I DO know that the public will become hysterical yet again about something that could happen but not in the way it is shown. The news stations are a joke. The Enquirer has as much credibility as the media does un my opinion. When will they grow morals?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Think this movie was nothing but bird

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Well, just got back from call. 6 people in the ER swearing they have bird flu because "Richmond's not that far away and i have some of the symptoms they showed in that movie on TV". No they didn't have it.

Thanks, ABC.

[burn out]

As if we don't have enough in real life to worry about.

[vloho]

I thought the first few scenes were very interesting. Re: how easily something can be spread. The travel of the worlds people makes this world very small.

[Katnip, RN]

I had a lady who swore she had bird flu because she ate chicken the night before.

Unfortunately, Hollywood is only out to make a buck. Or a few million. They don't care that they deliver misinformation and create panic.

[mad9]

I thought the first few scenes were very interesting. Re: how easily something can be spread. The travel of the worlds people makes this world very small.

Unfortunately I watched most of it, I even passed on watching House for this movie! Bloody awful is what it was.

CBC had a docudrama on Bird Flu awhile back that was informative.