The thing is, even if it's a relatively mild type of flu (which appears to be the case), and only one in a thousands were likely to really seriously affected, if at the same time its very infectious (which also appears to be the case) and say 20 million people get it, that's 20,000 people really seriously ill. And of course a hell of a lpt of people in urgent public services off sick at the same time.

So it's silly to get particularly worried about it for ourselves and our family, but at the same time it's liable to be pretty disruptive, and a major problem for the National Health Service. And there'll be a good many people dying - a very low percentage of those going down with the flu, but big absolute figures.

Thank God (and Nye Bevan) we've got a National Health Service anyway.