Runny nose? Aching body? Constant sneezing? Sprouting a curly, pink tail? These all may or may not be legitimate symptoms of H1N1, until recently known as swine flu.

The alarmist news about H1N1 has been circulating since spring of last year, making global headlines and even garnering special segments on “60 Minutes.” While this new strain presents its own set of threats, misinformation persists. Here we break down the H1N1 variant, the difference between regular flu and swine flu as...