8.05.2007

Milk, Eggs, Influenza?

Ask me how bored I get at work. Exhibit A: one editorial written to my local Gazette news paper. Why you
ask? Because I felt the need to state the obvious.


I seem to recall a few years back a big stink whether or not soda cans and bottle returns should be allowed at supermarkets. The reason being germs, we didn’t want them mixing with our food supply. Next it was the attack on the shopping cart itself, germ vehicles contaminating our bodies and our foods. A solution was reached, keep the cans outside, and give me an antibacterial wet wipe to clean my cart. Problem solved right?

With Hy-Vee Food Stores and the Iowa Health Systems’ new implementation of
Curaquick clinics the germs may have finally won the battle. Curaquick clinics are walk up heath care providers for non-urgent issues found at supermarkets. Marketed to low income families with little to no health insurance, and people too busy to make it to an actual clinic (between soccer games and laundry) the theory of the Curaquick clinic is a good one. However I have to question its physical place within our community. Is it really wise to bring your grocery list and your unidentified throat ailment to the supermarket? One stop shopping isn’t always a good idea; don’t get me started on the evils of Wal-Mart.

Recent media fear mongering regarding our food supply apparently doesn’t extend to this type of invasion. Its tainted greens, and toxic tooth paste, and now bananas contaminated by that slobbering child with the skin rash in isle two. I hate to play devils advocate but it was just something I thought about after reading the article in the local news rag about Curaquick clinics coming to town. Scandalicious! With flu season approaching it may be wise to wash that carrot twice.

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