"The Mexican authorities have cope this health emergency with great responsibility and shown willingness to collaborate with transparency with the World Health Organization, unlike China during the outbreak of the SARS ".By Gabriel Infante Carrillo
Columnist
It’s been ten days since the outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus that hit Mexico and put the whole world in alert. Ten days that the life of many Mexicans have been modified, especially Mexico City, which has been the most affected of this, no so lethal virus, with more confirmed cases nationwide. This health emergency started in Mexico City and the State of Mexico by shutting down all the schools, public and private; canceling music concerts and cultural activities. In the course of the weekend, soccer games were played at closed doors as well others sports activities; churches where shut down, and movies theaters decided to close to contribute to the preventive measures launched by the Federal government and Mexico City authorities. One of the biggest city in the world with almost 20 million inhabitants was literally a ghost town.
In the course of the week more measure where launched, one of those were shutting down all the schools nationwide. The mayor of Mexico City, Marcelo Ebrard, was considering to shut down the city by suspending all the activities. This didn’t happen until May 1– 5 by federal disposition to shutdown all non essential economic activities. However, Mexico City authorities ordered few days before the federal disposition, to shutdown night clubs, gyms, bars and restaurants can just server food to take, something that restaurant owners aren’t in anyway happy about; many decided to close.
Mexico has been semi-paralyzed and the capital city, the main economic and financial center of the country was shut down. Everyone is following all the governmental preventive measures, like washing hands constantly; stay home, and just go out for basics needs; wear masks to cover nose and mouth. As day passes by, many are eager to re-establish activities and continue with their normal lives and re-launched the economy.
The Mexican authorities have cope this health emergency with great responsibility and shown willingness to collaborate with transparency with the World Health Organization, unlike China during the outbreak of the SARS.
In recent days there have been news reports of discrimination and unfair treatment toward Mexican citizen in some Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador and in China, they put dozens of Mexicans in quarantine in the outskirts of Beijing, even though all of them turn out negative in the tests to detect the H1N1 flu virus. Chinese authorities have argued that this action is to prevent the outspread of the virus, but this action is only valid if they present symptoms of the illness and not for carrying the Mexican passport, which it seems to be the case.
Mexico has made a lot of sacrifices not only to prevent the outspread of the virus within Mexico, as president Felipe Calderon pointed out on an interview last night on the public television Once TV (Channel 11), but also to the rest of world, and this is not being pretentious. Mexico has been in someway the guinea pig , and from its experience, the rest of the world can’t prevent and take measures to avoid an outspread within their countries. The president also pointed out that ‘Mexico isn’t asking for charity, but respect’ toward Mexican citizens throughout the world.
The crises seems to be under control, the normalization of the economic activities will be re-established on Wednesday, but the hygienic precautions will continue. In the coming hours the authorities will give details how and when schools will reopen. Hope the rest of the world start taking action within their health system instead demonizing Mexican citizens.
Photo by Gabriel Infante Carrillo. This document is prohibited to be published in any other media, edited or rewrite without previous permission of it’s author.
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