Surgical Face Mask Nation

The last week has been a little chaotic in Mexico; we have been victims of the latest joke of nature. A never before seen super deadly combination of diseases which everybody has to be afraid of: The swine flu (seriously?? The flu??), ok I’ll correct myself the now called Influenza H1N1 that has threatened the entire world in a new form of plague to end with human kind (no kidding, the flu??).

Here I take a break for you to grab a seat because I’m going to tell you some important news: IT IS CURABLE. Whaaaatttt???? So are we really freaking out this much for a totally curable flu??? Yes we are, while a week ago we didn’t have enough information to calm down and we started to worry I think its time, and I don’t mean to push people, but you have to cut it with the paranoia. And I don’t mean to diminish the importance and transcendence of the disease, and of course, the lives of the people that have passed away in the past days from it, which in Mexico sum up officially to 26 after confirming the probable cases (people who have died from respiratory complications in the past weeks).

For days and days we only heard about the freaking influenza all day long, so I started to think if there was something else, life after influenza, and the answer is no. Not even a 6 Richter degree earthquake in Mexico City made it to the headlines last Monday. We have been since bombarded with information regarding the Swine Flu (which in Israel is officially called ‘’Mexican flu’’ after pigs are no Kosher).

Today I’m such a professional that I could actually run my own ‘’Diagnosis Center’’ and you’ll be glad to hear that indeed it its transmitted from person to person, but of course, only if that person is sick and practically sneezing constantly on your face. That the virus takes about a week to incubate and after that you’ll have the following symptoms:
Fever
Headache
Intense cough
Lack of appetite
Nasal congestion

The recommendations to avoid it include: washing your hands constantly, eating right, not attending extra crowded places, wearing a face mask (especially if you feel sick), etc. really simple measures to follow actually.

After presenting the symptoms what happens? Ok you’ll have 3 days (with fever and all) to think that something might be actually going on with you. 3 long days enough for you to realize this and go see a doctor, who will give you some Tamiflu and send you back home. If you are reckless/stupid enough to take more than that to get your ass up and go to the hospital, then you might be in trouble, what could happen (worst case scenario) is that you develop a severe pneumonia and if you are that unlucky you could die.

That being said, I can’t understand what’s going on. As much as I was thrilled to have unplanned vacations from school, I’m actually getting tired of this shit (I’m not talking about the not going to school Mr. President I wish you could just send it all the way to next Monday if you can, please), but of all the freaking paranoia.

People have asked me what’s going on with the Influenza or just in life apart Influenza and the thing is you can’t have the one without the other. I appreciate some of the measures taken by the government to stop the spreading of the disease, and think they have really helped, of course you can’t count the period between 1st and 5th of May because we were not going to work anyway due to some national holidays (5 de mayo anyone?). But did they really have to make my last university vacations this boring? (I’ll be graduating next 29, if it is ok with the virus).

So much for a week and a half out of school with no concerts, clubs, cinema, bars, just to name a few and wearing the ultimate spring accessory when going to crowded places: A face mask. Everyone has them, now available in matching colors (they are sooo last week). We bore our asses out (still I could use those 2 days more off school, just until Monday), life has become seriously strange, we can’t kiss when greeting, not recommended to touch people what so ever, lending supplies, etc. So we pass the time avoiding strangers, always suspicious of the one next to you, afraid of sneezing in public cause you might get shot (I’m a big sneezer so I am in danger), at the same time I could do some serious biological terrorism coughing on annoying people.

But the thing that has come up to my attention is the incredible support shown by other countries, not. Instead of the world community coming together to fight the virus they are shutting the door in our face. Thanks so much Cuba for setting example and canceling all flights from/to Mexico, until further notice. Argentina to follow briefly after and the clever move of Ecuador of cancelling too all direct flights from Ecuador to Mexico, which do not exist. The cherry on top of the cake has to be China, not only cancelling the flights, but keeping Mexicans practically hostages. A group of Mexican tourist were held in quarantine (without any of the symptoms) just because they are Mexican, so they were put in unhealthy locations, held incommunicated and even denied the access of the Ambassador to speak to them, so Mexico had to send an airplane to go rescue these 71 prisoners and every other Mexican who wants to come back because of this discrimination.

I guess that’s what you get for being such a nice guy. Mexico has always been famous for good diplomacy (exclude last president please) and helping others, we have welcomed hundreds of refugees from all around the world including Argentina, Chile, etc. Big communities of Chinese people have found a home in this country and not even with epidemics like SARS or Bird Flu has Mexico been such a bitch to others.

Whole different story with Brazil (hat off for this country) has been one of the few to show real support. While everybody was trying to cancel flights from Mexico (yes we know you wanted to do so too France!) they said they would cancel flights but from Spain! (Ha! Suckers!) Since they were already infected, not mentioning us whatsoever. Not to forget the great gesture from Coritiba Foot Ball Club who offered their stadium for Mexican team ‘’Chivas’’ to play as locals in the Libertadores Cup after Colombia and Chile refused to even let the players enter their country for the match. 10x Brazil!!!

Big news to everyone: We are not poisonous!!! So stop treating us like that, it’s just ridiculous, I can’t wait for this to be over. So to round up, there are few infected and are being taken care of, there is not such thing as a catastrophic situation other than the paranoia, there are not pilled up bodies on the streets or anything. I hope this helps to prevent ignorance.