H1N1, a toothless tiger?

Phase-6 alert means the A(H1N1) influenza is now a pandemic. That the World Health Organization (WHO) finally made up its mind to raise the alert level to the highest means we are still at loss for a way to prevent it from spreading further.

Indeed, the WHO, while declaring phase 6, assured us the severity of the pandemic is moderate and there is no need to panic, and continued to recommend no restrictions on travel and no border closures.

More important, given its mild symptoms and the fact that most of those infected have recovered without major medical intervention, many may actually suspect whether we are, as some critics warned, "overreacting".