A little paranoia over germs is healthy

President Barack Obama has declared the H1N1 outbreak a national emergency. Even pets are getting it.

I've already become a hand-washing freak. Now I have to worry about my dog's paws, too? This is getting crazy.

It's safe to say we're paranoid, and a little paranoia might be just what the doctor ordered.

Finally, we're all washing our hands — something we should have been doing all along. And hand sanitizers are the new gotta-have-it accessory. People carry them everywhere, and they don't just use them for their hands. I see people wiping down tables, shopping carts and chairs. I'm sure people would spray it on the sick like holy water if they thought it would help.

Still, H1NI isn't any more of a killer than the seasonal flu, which takes the lives of an estimated 36,000 Americans each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 3,900 people have died from the H1N1 flu in the first six months of the epidemic.

Of course, you don't want to get any strain of the flu. Yet the country is short on vaccines. And some people are scared of the new H1N1 vaccine.

Then there's the swine-flu party debate, where parents expose their kids to the flu on purpose to get it out of the way. Most officials think it's a bad idea, and I'd agree. These days, if co-workers cough, we're ready to ban them from the office. So why party for it? I mean, really, no one wants your germs.

But in this tight economy, no one wants to risk taking days off, either. A House bill introduced last week would push employers to give five paid sick days per year for workers sent home with contagious conditions such as the swine flu.

Thankfully, I haven't had any strain of flu this year. But I know a few people who have, and it's scary and lonely. No one wants to visit you when you're contagious. Just the sound of coughing is unsettling these days.

A few of my college friends were in town last weekend, and one was in the early stages of a cold. When she offered me some of her tasty lemon-baked catfish our other friend discouraged it. "No," she said, "she might be sick. "

I almost listened, but I couldn't resist. I did use my own fork and chose a piece that hadn't been touched. So far, I'm in the clear. Still, we all ate cough drops like candy the entire weekend. I drank a cup of Theraflu like tea when they left. You just can't be too safe.