It’s So-o-o Boring, Swine Flu. Or is it?
Probably there’s no one in Mexico who does not feel a little assaulted by the (understandble) international reaction. Mexico should have reacted more quickly! Mexico over reacted! It’s all a conspiracy between the International Monetary Fund and the drug companies! Please don’t leave the country! Don’t leave the country, you’re not welcome here!
For what it’s worth, I think Mexico and Mexicans have responded calmly. There is nothing like the hysteria here that assaults me when I dip a toe in the international media. Life is by no means back to normal. The paper today had everything from regulations about how close people in offices could be to the reassurance that if you did not attend mass your sins would be forgiven.
Schools and businesses remain closed, traffic is a quarter its normal density, it’s still almost impossible to buy even the simplest mask, most interaction is by email or phone. Water continues to be delivered, trash picked up, and the police patrol the streets. Everyone hopes that by the end of the week things will begin to get back to normal. People certainly feel more relaxed than they did a week ago.
I’ve been surprised by many things. First by the level of cooperation with the draconian measures in place. Mexicans take government edicts with a pinch of salt, shall we say, but this time they are complying in a way I would never have imagined.
Nor has the mayor of Mexico City locked horns with the President of the country even though the two have been at loggerheads for the last couple of years. Both have, for the nonce, pushed the same message.
Nor has Lopez Obrador (AMLO) who lost to the current President just a couple of years ago come out against the current policies. Given that the battle was so bitter, this is surprising.
But above all, the devastating economic fall out. Mexicana and Aeromexico between them canceled some 60 flights today. Restaurants cannot be well enough capitalized to suffer two or three week closures. And the little people–the domestic servants, the person with a tiny beauty school, the family that prepares tacos and fillings for a small stand–how can they manage? They probably can’t. It makes the devaluation of the 90s pale.
Enough said.
Folks have been pretty calm about Swine flu in Los Angeles. Nobody I know (elementary school, culinary school, private school, gym, rowing club, volleyball club, work, etc..) seems anxious about it besides basic things like washing hands more frequently. Other than that it’s been business as usual.
Good to know that, Ji-Young. Maybe it was just watching the news.
Thanks for your posts. My husband, 8 year old daughter and I are coming to Guanajuato in 4+ weeks (June 5 to be exact). We have rented an apartment for a month and do not have plans for canceling our trip. I do hope that things will be calmer by the time we come and businesses will be opened up again. I enjoy reading your posts and look forward to the updates.
Have you been before? It’s a beautiful and interesting place with a tumultuous history and (with luck) a great future. We look forward to welcoming you.
Our flight from Guatemala City to Mexico City had only 50 passengers on it. Which we were kind of expecting. What we did not expect was that our connecting flight to LAX had only 40 passengers! The airport which was a crazed mass of humanity on our flight to Guatemala the week before was quite quiet.
Yikes. Nice for the traveler but disastrous for the economy. Let’s hope numbers infected plummet and that the world has not marked out Mexico as a place unworthy of visiting or investing in.
no, I have never been before but my husband has. We are all very much looking forward to it despite the daily barrage of swine flu news here at home.
You will love it. Let me know when you get in.