Panico!

The global swine flu epidemic has almost brought Mexico city to a standstill. One of the world's biggest cities slowed to a snail's pace on Sunday as millions in the Mexican capital hid indoors to avoid infection from a flu virus that has killed up to 81 people. The Roman Catholic faithful listened to mass on the radio rather than go to church, a professional soccer game was played in an empty stadium and weekend cyclists stayed off the road in a lock-down of a normally chaotic city of 20 million people.

Goes to show what a 'threat to life' can do. No one wants to risk it at such times. Consumption takes a big hit. After all what's products and services compared to one's life?