GREEK doctors and flu scientists are saying what New Scientist revealed two weeks ago: swine flu could be spreading round Europe undetected because people without known links to flu aren鈥檛 being tested (see 鈥淓urope should test more broadly for swine flu鈥�).
Maybe countries worry that if they test, they鈥檒l be forced to use precious antiviral medicines on a mild strain. Maybe they just want this virus to spread quietly, so people will become immune to its successors. Maybe a basic understanding of epidemiology is lacking, though that seems unlikely.
But we know one thing: the only item of faith you need in science is that it鈥檚 better to know than not to know. If Europe鈥檚 leaders want everyone鈥檚 trust 鈥� trust they will need if this virus really does go global 鈥� it should emulate Australia, and do the tests.
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