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Because Pandemics can take several months to grow into full scale Level 6 (we are at Level 5 worldwide)--while nobody really knows WHAT the hell is going on for sure. Particularly when the Northern Hemisphere flu virus seasons starts up in late September back there in the USA, unfortunately you may not have to be wondering about that pandemic much longer. (Remember the panic four or five years ago domestically in the USA when the flu virus vaccine ran out? We had ours (injections) done in Asia on a business trip--there was plenty of Northern Hemisphere Autumn 2004 Flu Vaccine available because the location I bought it, people practiced extreme sanitation in their daily public affairs, their diet consisted if very healthy vegetables, fruits, fish, high protein, and not US type crappy, useless, non-nutritious junk food, and the climate was warm so little survivability of the seasonal flu, and other factors). Believe me, the USA is not anywhere as filthy as Mexico, but it is rather unsanitary in public in very many ways, I see it time and again, and in unsanitary behavior of not a few Americans regarding uncovered sneezing, not hand-washing after defecating, not masking during high virus periods, bedbugs in motels, illegal aliens with tuberculosis making salads, I could go on and on etc. etc. ).....The moral of the story is that, just as some on FR have been posting the Story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf and recommend everyone stand down from this, I quite honestly take the diametrically opposed position. I say WORRY, and WORRY BIG TIME. (And not just worry, but think, plan, and prepare. In our family we have all the materials N95 respirators, Tamiflu, high alcohol content liquid hand sanitizers, food/water/medicines (weapons if allowed in one's country) stocked for the long haul (6 months), and other items for family self protection. Consider it a drill at the very least and not paranoia. Then even if a Panedemic with H1N1 does NOT hit in Fall 2009, at the very least we will have things on hand for other disasters: typhoons, earthquakes, global financial meltdown that could escalate into Obama-type martial law, or an islamofascist suitcase nuke in one or several American cities. If you read confidential US government reports, you will not dismiss "preparedness" as somehow eccentric or reactionary. It is much akin to writing out a will. At least get it done and then dont worry about it. At least WHEN and IF the big disaster strikes, you wont get this skin crawling *OH SHIT* feeling for not having prepared and starting to watch society around you flock to stores and panicking. Just a word to the wise.
And here, after popular demand (and as a counter to one Freeper's "Kid Who ried Wolf", is another old kid's story:

The Three Little Pigs Once upon a time there were three little pigs and the time came for them to leave home and seek their fortunes. Before they left, their mother told them " Whatever you do , do it the best that you can because that's the way to get along in the world. The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do. The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house. The third little pig built his house out of bricks. One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his house of straw. He said "Let me in, Let me in, little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig. But of course the wolf did blow the house in and ate the first little pig. The wolf then came to the house of sticks. "Let me in ,Let me in little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig. But the wolf blew that house in too, and ate the second little pig. The wolf then came to the house of bricks. " Let me in , let me in" cried the wolf "Or I'll huff and I'll puff till I blow your house in" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin" said the pigs. Well, the wolf huffed and puffed but he could not blow down that brick house. But the wolf was a sly old wolf and he climbed up on the roof to look for a way into the brick house. The little pig saw the wolf climb up on the roof and lit a roaring fire in the fireplace and placed on it a large kettle of water. When the wolf finally found the hole in the chimney he crawled down and KERSPLASH right into that kettle of water and that was the end of his troubles with the big bad wolf. The next day the little pig invited his mother over . She said "You see it is just as I told you. The way to get along in the world is to do things as well as you can." Fortunately for that little pig, he learned that lesson. And he just lived happily ever after!

Check this for a somewhat dramatic, but not out of the realm of possibility, SCENARIO