On a more serious note, does anyone know where I can buy the things in the picture below.. just to be extra safe...
Okay, update. I had the honor to sit in a meeting of Directors from all hospital in Quintana Roo (The farthest eastern state in Mexico, which includes Cancun, Playa del Carmen Tulum and Chetumal, and even a Director from Merida, which if you look on a map is on the Western side of the Yucatan Penninsula.) This morning at 6:30am (What they are doing up that early I have no idea) There have been 8 cases reported here. All of which were "Spring Breakers" from New York, they were immediatley deported and sent home. We are however taking precautions, all the Dr's were wearing masks and any of those who take public transportation are suggested to do so also. Aida, my wife, works as the director of IMSS Emergency room and have had no reports of Swine Flu, nor has any other hospitals here. CNN and other news stations are calling it the "Mexican Flu" when actually it originated from California. Damn Networks can't get anything right.
Thanks, to all for the informative replies. At this time I am still planning on leaving May 8th for Cancun. I have more of a fear of a crowded airport and catching something there, than I do after I get to Cancun and the beach. My hope is this is contained fast in The US and Mexico.
We are one step from this becoming an official Pandemic and it doesn't look good. There are now confirmed cases in France, China, New Zealand, Spain and Canada. Several countries including China are urging their citizens to avoid travelling to Mexico. Also in China they have ordered the immediate detention of anyone entering the country with a fever over 100.4. The WHO (World Health Organization - not Pete Townsend & Roger Daltrey) met over the weekend and opted not to raise the crisis from a phase 3 to a phase 4 (Pandemic) but will meet again before tomorrow - 4/28 to review new data. If the level is raised to phase 4 - pandemic, travel to and from countries with confirmed cases will be haulted. We were at the phase 3 level due to the Avian flu that has been around for a while now but is not passed easily from person to person. This version of the Swine flu does seem to pass easily and it is this characteristic that will most likely put us in phase 4. What I don't see people discussing yet is the fact that a pandemic will significantly hurt our already weak global economy. Several sources say that the WHO should have raised to phase 4 last week but didn't out of political concerns for the economy. Right now the cases in the US have been mild compared to in Mexico but they are saying that could change. I'm sure the media is blowing all of this way out of proportion but I feel we are much better off being on the cautious side. If you are traveling to any country with confirmed cases you may want to consider getting vaccinated ahead of time. There are two vaccines that are known to be effective in combating Swine Flu (aka H1N1) - Tamiflu and Relenza. We are not traveling to Cancun until July but we will get vaccinated long before then if this gets much worse. As I am typing this the news is now reporting two confirmed cases in Kansas City, MO. A business man who just returned from Mexico and his wife who never left the country. I've seen people in this thread recommend washing your hands regularly. I would ad keeping some anti-bacterial hand sanitizer with you too. Let's hope this is contained and brought under control soon. I really don't want to see anymore people dying from this...
pj, there are no vaccines against swine flu right now. One can try a regular-flu vaccine just in case Tamiflu and Releza are to be taken AFTER infection, and should be taken up to two days after infection to be effective.
Steve, This is just what I was talking about with the media and how they blow things out of porportion. CNN reported that over 12 million doses of these vaccines were being released from a stockpile to be distributed to the affected areas. They made it sound like a preventative vaccine. At least it's good to know there is something out there. Stay safe! Hopefully this will pass quickly and we'll see you in Cancun in July!
Someone from Mex posted on my blog that Tamiflu can be had in Mexico for $40 US without prescription. I don't know anything more about that, and have not verified it.
"a new U.S. travel advisory was being prepared suggesting "nonessential travel to Mexico be avoided." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/med_swin...lYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA3N3aW5lZmx1d29ycg--
me and my friends r supposed to go to cancun on april 29. not sure what to do. very frustrated. will canada be issuing a travel advisory within the next 48 hours?
The most important thing is to not panic in making your decision. There will only be more information later. If you can wait to decide whether to change your travel plans, then wait. Apparently the flu virus doesn't survive long in humidity. Cancun is very humid (often unbearably so). See this: Humidity Kills The Flu Virus: http://bit.ly/BgQTy This may explain why Cancun has had 0 cases of flu in the last 4 years. The flu doesn't survive well here.
