Living on the Edge

As our ears have buzzed quite a bit from the Swine Flu media reports, and you may have understood how seriously China is tackling the situation here. Mexicans have been quarantined, and repatriated by their own government. Some Canadians and a few Americans also have been given a "special treatment" despite showing no symptoms.
Since our return from Hong Kong, we have been dealing with the implementation of various measures to prevent the spread of the disease. Since last week, when dropping Noam at the kindergarten I can no longer enter in the school building. His teachers welcome him in the outdoor play area, while his temperature is measured before letting him in. At the hospital, any person walking in has his temperature taken. In the airport, when we returned from Hong Kong, detectors were taking readings of every passengers while they were heading to the customs desk, and questionnaires had to be filled. And while enjoying our last day in Hong Kong, the day after Asia Case No 1 was found in Hong Kong, we saw the visible aspects of the Flu Scare. We were fortunate enough to have landed in the right hotel, avoiding a forced quarantine for residents who happened to stay in the hotel where the first Asian case lodged for one night. White masks started appearing around us, and by our departure time, the entire staff at the hotel (and many people on the streets) were wearing them. Hong Kong remembered SARS. China decided to take measures to prevent the spread of the disease, China way.

Whether we agree or not with their methods, or whether or not we really can talk about a pandemic is not for me to say (even if I have my own opinion). However, yesterday Pauli came home after being more than a week out of the country on business, and I had my own Mini-Swine-Scare. He called me as he just had landed in Beijing Capital Airport. He told me (with what I perceived as a white voice) that he was not sure of what was going on... The entire flight was held by the airport, with all passengers in the cabin, after their temperature had been taken and questionnaires had been filled. While waiting in the idle plane, filled with other passengers, no information was given to them. And there I was, at the other end of the phone, fearing the worst: that they could be quarantined, that he would have to stay away from us, in Beijing! Detained. Hostages of a paranoid government (oops, I said it!).
Fortunately, after an hour or so, he called me back to tell me they just had been "released", after a few men dressed in white space suits came in and took away one passenger - probably someone who had fever. Pffew! My Pauli got to come home!

So now we are awaiting the visit of Pauli's parents, on Friday, landing from Israel (another country touched by the Flu)...