An observation from Melbourne journalism academic and Crikey reader Dr Lawrie Zion:

It seems that the term “flu-like symptoms” is spreading like a wildfire through our media, infecting most, if not all of our vital media organs. There hasn’t been an outbreak like this since the “execution-style murders” pandemic of 2005.

He has a point. Here we are confronting imminent mortal peril and all our mainstream media can come up with is a string of cliches. Do better please.