The Swine Flu thing...

[j_spot]

I was planning on travel to PDC on Saturday, with this happening Im not sure what Im going to do so I did my research with my providers. Heres what I found.

Air Canada said I can cancel for $90 admin fee to get my points back, reschedule or book to a different destination for free (sound ok to me)

Interval International(timeshare) said SOL, its within 7 days of your checkin.

Travelguard(insurance) said SOL unless a Travel advisory is issued by Canada. Unless that happens it is just me wishing to cancel my plans. If a travel advisory is issued (and I wrote my MP asking that we might want to consider it) then it will offer me protection under the plan.

I have no deposit with my dive company so no issue there.

Best case for me, an advisory is issued and I can decide without thinking of money lost. If no advisory is issued I have to weigh losing ~$1200 vs possibly getting sick or being a carrier for the virus. I am not bringing death into this because I have readily available access to Western Medicine and trust in that.


My dad returned from Mayan Riviera yesterday and said that all was fine there on the beaches, he didnt see a mask until he returned to the Airport.


Im still up in the air, but have a few days left to decide.

 

[DandyDon]

I do not think distance from Mexico has some meaning.
Please look at this map
H1N1 Swine Flu - Google Maps

Interesting map. I hadn't heard of some of those....

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[lamont]

I do not think so. SARS spreaded much more rapidly in Asia.

SARS had 8,000 cases worldwide over the whole outbreak. This has 2,500 cases already and WHO has given up on travel restrictions right out of the gate. It is definitely more virulent than SARS and is going to easily surpass the 8,000 mark...

It is also interesting that this is occurring in the northern hemisphere outside of the normal flu season, which is a behavior seen in pandemic flu...

 

[pilot fish]

I'm wondering how the illegal flow of people across our southern border with Mexico will impact the spread and increase the US exposure to this pandemic? They can take all the precautions they want at all the check points, airports, etc but all it takes is a few infected people getting across the border illegally and working in a food plant, or restaurant, to spread this flu rapidly. Our borders need to be more secure and our Gov needs to be able to do background and medical checks on all people coming into the country. This is another wake up call for the US.

 

[DandyDon]

Ah, hysteria! This is worthless...

Some countries, such as China and Russia, banned pork imports from the United States and Mexico.

This is interesting...

"When you think about the flu, the seasonal flu, the flu that we're accustomed to, it typically tends to have the worst ramifications in people that don't have developed immune systems -- the elderly and the very young. They can't fight it off," said Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent. Video

"What's counterintuitive with this particular virus, it's in the people who have robust immune systems. As their body starts to respond, to try and fight off that virus, they produce tons of inflammatory cells. Those inflammatory cells can sort of flood the lungs.

This sounds a little irresponsible in view of current advisories...?
Cruise lines: No plans to cancel calls in Mexico due to swine flu

 

[okiraku_diver]

Ah, hysteria! This is worthless...

Checking temperature of passengers by hermographic devices is worth to do not to spread into other countries.
Asia steps up fight to prevent swine flu spread - Yahoo! Singapore News

 

[hyperbaric_1]

It is also interesting that this is occurring in the northern hemisphere outside of the normal flu season, which is a behavior seen in pandemic flu...

Exactly. Pandemic flu has no season.

 

[hyperbaric_1]

Checking temperature of passengers by hermographic devices is worth to do not to spread into other countries.
Asia steps up fight to prevent swine flu spread - Yahoo! Singapore News

This is ridiculous. Once a person is febrile, they are contagious and have exposed everyone on the plane. Keeping them off the plane would have been more important.

 

[okiraku_diver]

Keeping them off the plane would have been more important.

Exactly!

So from yesterday in Japan, quarantine officers with handi thermography get on the board and inspect all passenger for all flight coming to Japan from U.S except Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada.

 

[hyperbaric_1]

Exactly!

So from yesterday in Japan, quarantine officers with handi thermography get on the board and inspect all passenger for all flight coming to Japan from U.S except Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada.

Perhaps it is a language barrier, but you are missing my point. Japan is isolating febrile passengers in a hotel room, but neglecting that the other passengers have effectivley been exposed and are now vectors.

The WHO has acknowledged that this will not be contained. Japan is wasting resources by isolating a single passenger on an arrived flight if it is not addressing the exposed passengers.