Comments on: Airline passenger experiences with the swine flu pandemic http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/07/05/airline-passenger-experiences-swine-flu-pandemic/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:52:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DonaldS http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/07/05/airline-passenger-experiences-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-149006 DonaldS Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:17:08 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4375#comment-149006 Few points I think worth making about swine flu, which I have just had along with my partner and 2 young kids, and god knows how many more linked with my daughter's school. 1. I think you need to separate stuff that happened when the severity of the virus was largely unknown (April/early May) and now (when it's known to be largely minor for most people). 2.There's *no excuse* for quarantining passengers showing symptoms now, not in my book. Nor for air crew to wear masks. Most of the people I know who have had it (which is lots) haven't even bothered to see a doctor. When I spoke with my doctor, he was spectacularly unconcerned. 3. There's no way to stop the virus (they spread exponentially, after all), and "official" government figures for the number of people with the virus are underestimating how many people have had it by a *long, long* way. There's just nobody counting anymore where we are, and no way to count the majority of people who have such minor symptoms that they'll not see any reason to report those symptoms to anyone. I only have anecdotal evidence for this, of course, but plenty of it (including from someone I know who was in Mexico when the flu "first" hit... plenty of people he spoke to claimed it had been around for quite a while, which given the contagiousness I've witnessed at first hand, I can certainly believe.) 4. When talking about Asian countries, there's no way to understand their reaction without understanding their SARS experience, and the political/public relations fallout from that. Our reaction in the UK appears to me to be largely conditioned by the media, whose reporting policy seems to be "front page when someone dies, ignore otherwise". Few points I think worth making about swine flu, which I have just had along with my partner and 2 young kids, and god knows how many more linked with my daughter’s school.

1. I think you need to separate stuff that happened when the severity of the virus was largely unknown (April/early May) and now (when it’s known to be largely minor for most people).

2.There’s *no excuse* for quarantining passengers showing symptoms now, not in my book. Nor for air crew to wear masks. Most of the people I know who have had it (which is lots) haven’t even bothered to see a doctor. When I spoke with my doctor, he was spectacularly unconcerned.

3. There’s no way to stop the virus (they spread exponentially, after all), and “official” government figures for the number of people with the virus are underestimating how many people have had it by a *long, long* way. There’s just nobody counting anymore where we are, and no way to count the majority of people who have such minor symptoms that they’ll not see any reason to report those symptoms to anyone. I only have anecdotal evidence for this, of course, but plenty of it (including from someone I know who was in Mexico when the flu “first” hit… plenty of people he spoke to claimed it had been around for quite a while, which given the contagiousness I’ve witnessed at first hand, I can certainly believe.)

4. When talking about Asian countries, there’s no way to understand their reaction without understanding their SARS experience, and the political/public relations fallout from that. Our reaction in the UK appears to me to be largely conditioned by the media, whose reporting policy seems to be “front page when someone dies, ignore otherwise”.

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]]> By: Caitlin http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/07/05/airline-passenger-experiences-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-149004 Caitlin Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:15:45 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4375#comment-149004 I assumed that, as Zoe suggests, the flight crew wore masks to protect the passengers, not the other way around. After all, they are serving meals and drinks. I assumed that, as Zoe suggests, the flight crew wore masks to protect the passengers, not the other way around. After all, they are serving meals and drinks.

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]]> By: TGT http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/07/05/airline-passenger-experiences-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-149001 TGT Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:12:18 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4375#comment-149001 The cabin crew may not have had a choice. On some airlines they have been ordered to wear the masks, at least on some routes. I am unsure if this applies(d) on Cathay Pacific, but it wouldn't surprise me. The stronger measures taken by China are in part a consequence of SARS. Think of it like the security theatre in USA - authorities are making sure they are seen to be doing something even if it is not effective. The cabin crew may not have had a choice. On some airlines they have been ordered to wear the masks, at least on some routes. I am unsure if this applies(d) on Cathay Pacific, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

The stronger measures taken by China are in part a consequence of SARS. Think of it like the security theatre in USA – authorities are making sure they are seen to be doing something even if it is not effective.

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]]> By: Bill Murray http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/07/05/airline-passenger-experiences-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-148996 Bill Murray Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:00:30 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4375#comment-148996 An editorial in China's new state owned English language newspaper may be assumed to speak for the government, and it suggests traveler quarantines will remain in place for some time to come. Its title - "The long fight against A(H1N1) flu." It's here An editorial in China’s new state owned English language newspaper may be assumed to speak for the government, and it suggests traveler quarantines will remain in place for some time to come. Its title – “The long fight against A(H1N1) flu.” It’s here

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]]> By: Anil http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/07/05/airline-passenger-experiences-swine-flu-pandemic/#comment-148995 Anil Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:22:00 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4375#comment-148995 The threats of swine flu are completely exaggerated and the masks are for show if anything else. People have told me of similar quarantine situations if it is suspected that even 1 person on a flight has H1N1. We tend to emphasize the threats that are least likely to happen - a mask might prevent swine flu but I wonder how many people eat vegetables everyday and exercise regularly and do many of the things known to prevent heart disease. This paranoia about swine flu should start to ease up just in time for a new scare... The threats of swine flu are completely exaggerated and the masks are for show if anything else. People have told me of similar quarantine situations if it is suspected that even 1 person on a flight has H1N1. We tend to emphasize the threats that are least likely to happen – a mask might prevent swine flu but I wonder how many people eat vegetables everyday and exercise regularly and do many of the things known to prevent heart disease.

This paranoia about swine flu should start to ease up just in time for a new scare…

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