One phenomenon I’ve noticed is that no one seems to care much about the flu in the U.S., while here in China they are acting like it’s the apocalypse. I check news headlines every day, and it is rare that I read anything in U.S. publications about swine flu reports any more–really nothing for the last month and a half. I’m guessing China had a very bad experience the first time around with SARS, and they don’t want a repeat performance. Understandable. Additionally, hygiene here is not what it should be, particularly in the countryside, and the disease could catch fire rapidly. So why the relative indifference in America? Is it because the medical care is better? Is it just like any other flu so people are unconcerned? Is the government telling the press to downplay it? What is it? Please comment with your ideas.

In the meantime, my trip planning will include buying lots of crossword puzzles and pc games so that I have plenty to do in isolation after I return from my trip home.

Photo by El_Enigma

Saying China’s quarantine of 70 Mexican travelers was discrimination, Mexico announced it was chartering a plane Monday to bring its citizens home from the country.

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China quarantined more than 70 Mexican travelers in hospitals and hotels there, and Mexicans on arriving flights were being taken into isolation, said Mexico’s ambassador, Jorge Guajardo. Even the Mexican consul in Guangzhou was briefly held after returning from a vacation in Cambodia. Calderon complained of the backlash against Mexicans abroad.

To date there has been one confirmed case of the H1N1 virus in China.

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