I went to the closest large grocery store this afternoon, taking the quite full metro to get there. When I arrived, it seemed that people had gotten over their fear of the flu as the store was full to its normal capacity. There were a few changes: quite a number of people were wearing face masks (people have gotten creative and drawn different types of mouths on the masks….moustaches, beards, dogs, etc) and they were handing out plastic gloves to all the shoppers entering. The kind of plastic gloves that are always oversized that people in food service use so their bare hands won’t touch the food.
I also went to the post office this afternoon and the post office ladies (they weren’t busy and I’ve made some embarrassing gaffes there before, so they know me) wanted to know why I wasn’t wearing a mask. I told them I wasn’t scared of getting the flu and I wash my hands frequently. They agreed that the masks were annoying (one woman pulled hers off as soon as her boss walked away and told me she hated wearing it cause they make you sweat so much), but they were required to wear them because of all the people that came in and out.
It feels kind of blown out of proportion. I probably feel like that because I don’t know anyone who has gotten sick and it still feels rather removed (despite it being all over the news and I can’t really do anything in this enormous, amazing city because everything’s closed). I figure as long as I wash my hands after being out and about and get enough rest, I’ll probably be fine. There’s only been eight confirmed deaths (seven in Mexico, one in the US). Granted, there’s still a number of deaths that are being investigated here in Mexico, but most people who have become sick have gotten better. The vast majority have recovered (or are recovering) and we haven’t (or, at least, the international news hasn’t) known about this disease for even a week.
I’m glad to know that the world is much better prepared for a pandemic (per the WHO’s director-general’s statements), but I’m not convinced that this is the next Spanish Flu of 1918. Maybe I’ll be proved wrong. I hope not. But I think there’s a lot more health issues in the world that we should probably pay more attention to that affect millions of people everyday. HIV/AIDS leaps to mind. I know that if this is a pandemic, than all these precautions will be very well served and many lives will be saved. I’m just skeptical.
kelsey said,
April 30, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
yeah i was thinking the same thing about why there is SO much publicity and so many precautions taken for this disease in comparison to others….
Alyson said,
April 30, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
Ditto. Seems reminiscent of the anthrax scares. Certainly serious stuff, but as you said not nearly the equivalent of HIV/Aids which doesn’t get the kind of coverage in this part of the world that the amount of people it affects would seem to warrant. Still definitely interesting to hear your firsthand reports.
Wanda said,
May 3, 2009 @ 12:14 am
Been thinking of you and glad that you are well and that the situation doesn’t seem as dire as being portrayed by our news media. The elementary school in Monmouth where my sister works is closing all of next week due to a probable case of the flu in the area.
Wanda said,
May 3, 2009 @ 12:26 am
I just read your post from the day before and it does definitely sound like quite the concern. As the health officials here keep saying… wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!