Naturally my mind this week is on the pandemic – or rather both my minds, since I am in two of them. In my first mind I am a worried citizen, father and District Line commuter; in my other I am a journalist. As a citizen, father and commuter I am naturally concerned at the possible pandemic. I am particularly vigilant for any signs of pigs on the underground. We have all got to play our part in fighting this flu. If you see a suspicious or unattended swine on the Tube, it’s your duty to report it.

However, with my journalist hat on I am, to be frank, suspicious. Not being a scientist, I am unable to offer an educated opinion about the true threat posed by swine flu; but being a journalist I don’t feel particularly inhibited by that. Not being a scientist, I nod to medical experts who say this could become a great killer. Being a journalist, I note the use of the word “could” and remember that something that could is also something that could not.