Someone Didn't Get the Memo

So, I went to the doctor today.

When I get up to the receptionist, I notice the now-standard stack of 2-3 dusty surgical masks sitting on the counter with the sign about wearing one if you have flu symptoms.

Since I wasn't there for flu, I didn't grab one as I paid my co-pay and went to sit down.  As I turned into the sitting area, I noticed that the sitting area had been divided into two different regions- one with a dark blue sign and black ink on it (yeah, it's what you call "easy to read").  Since there were people in the non-signed area, I naturally migrated to the empty, blue-signed area (law of diffusion works with social situations, too, you know)

So, as I approached the blue sign, I noticed it said "This section reserved for those with Flu"

Now, couple of things bothered me about this:

1. When did we change from calling it "the flu" to "Flu"?  For that matter, why don't we call it "a flu" like we say "a cold".  They're both viruses.  
2. The "Flu" section of the waiting room was just as big as the non-Flu section (how many sick people are you expecting here for Flu symptoms??)
3. And, most important of all, the moron that thought up this segregation of the waiting room must be a smoker because it's the same logic as a smoking section of a restaurant.  Yeah, both the flu and smoke are, uhm, air-born!  DUH!  So, you think having them sit on the far side of a 10 foot room is really going to make a damn bit of difference when it has been shown that we sneeze in the 15-20 foot spray zone?

I guess they were trying to save money on those little surgical masks...and brain cells.