Q: What do you get when you run a contest on YouTube to create a new public service announcement (PSA) to help get the message out on how to prevent the spread of H1N1?

A: Ten finalists, all worth watching. 

Eight are 30 seconds.  Two are a full minute.  Total investment of six (6) minutes which should yield, to quote President Obama, “a learning moment.”  If you are a glutton for punishment, you can even slog through the other entries, although I wouldn’t recommend it.

Which one is your favorite and do you think governments should do more things like this?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published an H1N1 flu alert that summarizes activity around the globe:

In the southern hemisphere where flu season is waning, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia appear to have passed their peak influenza activity and are returning to baseline levels. South Africa and Bolivia continue to experience high levels of influenza activity.

In the tropical regions of Central America and Asia, H1N1 activity is increasing or remaining at high levels with some countries reporting moderate strains on the healthcare system.

In temperate areas of the northern hemisphere, North America, Europe, and Central Asia, H1N1 activity remains low overall, with some countries experiencing localized outbreaks. In Japan, the level of flu activity has passed the seasonal epidemic threshold, signaling a very early beginning to the annual influenza season.

Will the Japanese experience translate to the rest of the northern hemisphere? We will find out shortly.