Swine Flu Leading to More Government Intervention?

EU: Don't travel to USA and Mexico...
*US calls EU travel warning unwarranted...
**Russia to check all planes from Americas...
JANET: NO TESTING OF INCOMING PLANE PASSENGERS...
STATE DEPT TO ISSUE TRAVEL WARNING TO MEXICO...
Every passenger arriving in Britain from Mexico screened...
Has globalization made us more catastrophe-prone?
'NO EVIDENCE' OF BIO-TERROR...
PIG SICK: NYC...
Could mutate to 'more dangerous' strain...
Flu could boost gov't intervention further...
Mexico flu scare empties streets, churches, bars...
Spreads to Europe, markets edgy...
NAPOLITANO SAYS USA SHOULD SHOULD PREPARE FOR NEW FLU OUTBREAK SOON EVEN IF THIS ONE FIZZLES OUT...
PÁNICO: 103 DEAD

The spread of a possible flu pandemic could see an increase in already heightened levels of government intervention in economies and financial markets as a result of the global financial crisis.

In the short term, it might serve to give governments an easy justification to impose protectionist measures that could further stifle slumping trade flows.

Doctors and officials around the world are moving to contain the spread of a swine flu outbreak that has already killed more than 100 people in Mexico and spread to countries around the world, with markets already reacting nervously.

"At the moment, markets are still making the assumption this will not be that serious," said Dresdner Kleinwort emerging foreign exchange strategist Jon Harrison.

"But if it were to turn out much worse you would see a rise in government spending and government intervention. This sort of crisis would be too big for anything other than governments."

It's important to note that there have been no deaths in America. In fact, so far the bug has been relatively mild. There is no indication that this will turn into a deadly pandemic here in the US. There is no need to panic, but we should all be aware of the situation, and careful. If you are sick, stay home. If your kids are sick, don't send them to school.