MAY 1, 2009

Health break

Looking at the headlines, you’d think that swine flu is a sign of the coming apocalypse. But having watched this pair of PSAs — which aired during the swine-flu panic of 1976 — we’re beginning to think that the end times aren’t so nigh after all.

The first spot uses simple scare tactics to drive its message home (Swine flu bad! Flu shots good!). The second spot is longer and more satisfying: It traces the flu’s progress from family to community to the public at large — and has the same narrative arc as most of the zombie movies you’ll see. So take a moment this weekend to remind yourself that the ’76 epidemic didn’t amount to much. And when Monday comes, it’s back to hiding from the mailman.

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1976 swine-flu public-service announcements