FROM THE FIELD
The assumption of the Mexicans is that if you take the right preventive measures, you avoid the risk. Don't kiss strangers! Don't touch your friend who lives round the corner! Soccer games are being played behind closed doors. Museums aren't opening. Even the Catholic Church decided to suspend their activity on Sunday. The population has accepted the measures in a really mature way. No one complained.
The reality is that Mexico is facing an "emergency health situation" because a virus has managed to mix DNA from humans, pigs and birds. There isn't yet a specific treatment for that. No vaccines, of course, because of the volatile life of those viruses. By good fortune, according to the authorities, affected people are responding pretty well to the two medicines that are being prescribed. Will it be enough? No one can tell one way or the other at the moment.
While I'm writing this blog, Mexico City is shaking. An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 moves the city. People evacuated the buildings still wearing their facemasks. The news said there is nothing to be worried about. So take it on that way. Just be worried about the swine flu.
Earthquakes aside, the city is trying to have a normal life, if life in a 22 million-person city can be called normal. In any case, the people have shown their commitment in following recommendations and accepting their own responsibility in this situation: do everything you can to avoid a bigger outbreak. And it looks like we are doing it so far.[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
