In New Zealand, the news of a killer virus arrived at the onset of winter and during any winter you'd be lucky to get away without catching some kind of cold or flu - it's to be expected. But here in the UK, this news arrived at the onset of summer, when typically you'd be stocking up on suntan lotion not strepsils and pseudoephedrine. 

Throughout the underground tube stations, Londoners on their way to summertime picnics in parks are faced with National Health Service advertisements featuring images of people sneezing. In office blocks there are signs everywhere instructing you to keep your hands free of germs and hand sanitizer dispensers in reception areas.

The news headlines continue to fill the papers too. It's impossible to go a day without being reminded of the peril you face if you should come into contact with flu germs. Now as we head towards Autumn and Winter I hear in the news that vaccine jabs are due to be rolled out in October with 13 million ‘at risk’ Britons to be vaccinated (that’s roughly 20 percent of the total UK population).

With 'the flu' being so top of mind at the moment, I wonder if we may be talking ourselves into getting sick. Has the hype got to us and created a psychological susceptibility?

Either way, people are getting sick. I can think of seven people I know who have suffered severe flu symptoms this summer. However, they've all been left wondering whether it was officially Swine Flu or just a nasty cold ...and whether they are truly due the badge of honour that is 'swine flu survivor'.