Oh yeah. Without a doubt. But that's what media does - they take stories of interest and make as big a deal as possible out of them to get viewers. If we want to improve that, we have to become better consumers. We have to only take in our news from truly balanced sources that don't have to grab your attention in less than 20 seconds like television news does. They would lose all their viewers if they didn't blow things out of proportion.

lol, my dad was in hk during the outbreak of swine flu - 8/10 peopel wore masks on the streets
I ran the Sporting Life 10k in Toronto, I saw 2 old chinese ladies wearing masks - I saw over 13000 people that day....
Our whole school was sick during that time, within the IB students of my grade only 1 person went to the doctor, the rest of just continued on to school sick and used his diagnois to justify. Not to mention when he wore his mask to school he got yelled by our french teacher who thought he was mocking her.

o_O I had a hard time finding the comment box... rude much?

Yes, I know the media messes with our heads to skew our priorities. It happened with birdflu and sars too. It even happens with produce and peanut butter.

Everything on TV influences the masses in how we choose to do to keep ourselves healthier or not. I see so often in "family" programing, the young people don't stop to and say, "Wait, where's the condom?" They just hope in to bed or the back seat and go for it without thinking. Or I see them with a Coke in hand or ordering food from a major fast food chain. Parents are just as guilty. Most of the parents I've met (mine included) don't always talk to their children about safe health practices, STDs or otherwise (I'm talking more than just washing hands before you eat). It's almost like they forget or think that it should be common sense when it isn't. The school systems are starting try a little more, but there is only so much they can do without "violating the rights" of a child or teen.

It is an endless cycle of (mis)information.

This is what today's media does. They are more concerned wit ratings than tellng the truth.

@stayfitshaun - Well said.
Since I have nothing useful to add, I'll just share.
I had swine flu a few weeks ago. I used it as an excuse to be lazy and watch t.v. all day. It was nice. I know that a lot more people are dying, but it's typically the same group of people that die from the regular flu. Get vaccinated and/or take precautions, just as you should with the regular flu. The media likes to scare the crap out of people.

Judging by how many drug ads there are during a single news broadcast, including the little blurbs after a segment like "the weather was brought to you by ...)  I would say there is a $$$ interest in media outlets to hype the disease to sell the "cure". 

May be they think ignorence is bliss with the not wearing a condom thing. I for one couldnt enjoy something when i know someone 'may' be carrying around diseases from one or more of the partners they have had. I wouldnt even want to put someone in that position. I just wish people had their priorities on straight when it comes to their own health and that of others. In some cases media doesnt help, with regards to swine flue and even aids... People have their own selfish motivations for everything