I have two weeks until my Cancun vacation... And out of nowhere this swine flu pops up and has the whole world in a tizzy. The media has blown this way out of proportion and honestly I do not think that it is that big of deal. But for those who want to know - Cancun is still on.
When my friends and I purchased this vacation package, we did not pay for travel insurance (ability to cancel or reschedule your vacation with no penalties) and Expedia, right now, is not waiving cancellation penalties for travel during our vacation days. We would lose out on a lot of money if we cancelled right now. If this "almost pandemic" gets worse, who knows what Expedia will say then.
Here are some facts about the "regular" flu and swine flu:
Regular flu kills over 250,000 people worldwide annually. There have only been 8 CONFIRMED deaths of swine flu. All of those that have confirmed deaths are people who are from Mexico. Yes, that little boy who died in Houston is from Mexico City.
The swine flu has not hit Quintana Roo, the state the Cancun is in. No resorts are reporting anyone sick.
Tamiflu and Relezna are prescriptions given to people who have flu-like symptoms. They are helping individuals who have these symptoms.
The symptoms of regular flu and swine flu are the same.
Here is the part where I get on my soapbox:
This is practically the regular flu. The media is causing the panic here. Be smart people - wash your hands and cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. It's not that hard. It's not like hundreds of people all over the world are dying of this flu. There have been 8 confirmed deaths. Yes, there are something like 160 SUSPECTED deaths but those aren't for sure.
Experts say face masks do not necessarily help against the spread of this flu. It is person-to-person contact. Not airborne. Now, I can understand wearing one if you are in a highly infected area, such as Mexico city. But here in Utah and pretty much the rest of the U.S., you do NOT need to wear one.
Some may think I'm crazy for still going on my trip. Do you want to pay my cancellation fees and rescheduling fees? I didn't think so. This is not a life or death situation. If it was, we would not be allowed to go by government officials. They would shut down the borders. I am going to try to get a prescription for Tamiflu before I go on my trip if this flu still continues like it has. If the doctor says it is safe to take it even though I do not have any symptoms, I will. If not, I can start taking them if I do feel sick.
I have waited since the end of January for this vacation. I am not waiting anymore.
BOTTOM LINE:
Stop freaking out! And wash your hands and cover your mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough!!
To those who know this story, it may not seem like this was a joyous time for me (we ran out of gas on I-80 between Tooele and Wendover). But this experience taught me a lot! First, always be prepared with an extra gas can on a road trip, second, there are still good samaritans out there and lastly, when you're with a carful of boys and one of them says to "man up" and see if the driver can make it to the next gas station that is 90 miles away with the gas light on, tell them they're dumb boys and need to get gas.
Last but certainly not least, I became friends with this girl! Jenny! I know this isn't a great picture but it's the only one where its just us two! Making new friends is hard but we became roommates and fast friends.