From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

H1N1, what you need to know and what you need to do.

I'm Sarah Terry sitting in for Warren Allney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Who's afraid of the flu? asks one magazine headline.

As the U.S. government prepares to hand out more than 250 million free doses of swine flu vaccine,

health officials are confronting fear and misinformation.

What is the H1N1 virus? Who should take a vaccine?

By using early precautions to combat the flu, has the government caused more anxiety than necessary?

On reporter's notebook, placebo's or pills, are making people feel better,

and pharmaceutical companies want to know why.

First, the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica

and from the Public Radio International Program Fund,

whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and

Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. I'm Sarah Terry, sitting in for Warren-only, back with To the Point

from PRI. We'll be talking today about the H1N1 virus, swine flu, and how to make sense of media

coverage and government precautions. What concerns to health officials have about the flu?

What exactly is a pandemic?

What can be done to prevent fearful overreaction?

And what steps should you take to protect yourself?

On reporter's notebook,

...