Bird Flu update...

A few new items on the bird flu...

This article by Peter Bell is a pretty good appeal to try and stop any possible pandemic on foreign shores...and not allow it to reach the USA.

Mr. Bush's pandemic flu strategy affirms that the most effective way to protect Americans is to contain an outbreak beyond our borders. Yet it promises precious little funding to support work with farmers and communities in Southeast Asia, where avian flu spreads among birds every day. There is almost no funding for Africa, which may be the next stop on the routes of migratory birds carrying the virus.

The way the dem's are going right now...they probably WANT this flu to spread all over the USA with high casualties, so they can blame it on Bush and tell everyone he lied about it all.

The next two come from our beloved news agency here in Chiner. 

BEIJING, Nov. 19-- If you are a Beijing resident with a temperature of 38 C or higher, and show other symptoms of flu after having close contact with infected poultry or human cases, you are required to undergo at least a week of medical observation.

Doctors in all the hospitals of the capital city yesterday were asked by the municipal health authority to report all cases showing the above-mentioned symptoms.

We are fast approaching the flu season here...wonder if they have enough beds to warrant the observations for a period of one week each?! 

Macau has also tightened their scanning of people crossing the border...

Macao is on high alert over the bird flu epidemic fear, as the body temperature scanning at border checkpoints was resumed Friday.

The anti-bird flu temperature screening covers all border checkpoints including the Macao-Zhuhai Barrier Gate, linking the neighboring mainland city of Zhuhai.

If the temperature exceeds the standardized 34 to 35 degree Celsius, health inspectors will re-check the travelers and possibly require them to undergo more follow-up health checks at alocal hospital.

Meanwhile, Zhuhai's border checkpoint in Gongbei area has started temperature monitoring since Thursday.

This is probably a smart measure and I would expect Hong Kong to begin this soon as well.  All border crossings are equipped with body scanners to check temperature.  If you blast off the alarm, they will then check your temp in the ear with a monitor and ask some questions.  I kinda wonder what would happen if you are sick with something, if they kick you out or dump you into a local hospital somewhere.  Wait and see, I guess.

My fear...is if there is a pandemic outbreak and I decide to get the family out of Dodge and send them home, the US government won't allow them access, despite being citizens.  The talk of quarantines and closing access is a bit worrying.  I'd hate to be stuck here with limited access to medical help and medicines...when I could be in the USA getting full attention somewhere...anywhere!

UPDATE:  Welcome Instapundit readers.  More updates here, here and here.

UPDATE II:  One more reason I worry about a pandemic in Chiner

Comments

[Stevo in Taichung]

That's the trouble with the keep the sick folks out policy, I remember when SARS was going around, all the countries in Asia where you could get World class treatment like Singapore promptly shut up shop, kind of a cleft stick situation.

[Jeff]

It's interesting noting the temperature tests at the border.

If the US tried to implement that, the screams would be heard on the moon. And the ACLU would be in court in 30 seconds flat.

[Cosmo]

Gotta be a tough dilema, Ex-Pat. On the one hand, it's impractical and costly to bug out, especially if nothing happens. On the other hand, it would look like wisdom distilled if everything went to hell.

I'm back and forth to China frequently and have worried about unwittingly bringing something back, imperiling my family and others back home.

Good luck; stay safe.

[John B. Chilton]

It's a calculated risk on your part that the US government cannot innoculate you against. Or, at least, the US government should not bear the downside risk, removing accountability for personal choices.

I faced a similar choice in the runup to the attack on Iraq - the US government made it clear it could not evacuate US citizens living abroad if things when badly. I made the choice that happened to be best for me which was to stay abroad even though it was risky and entailed risks for my family. And it entailed the risk of me being labeled an idiot if things had gone bad.

I'm not sure Cosmo's term "dilemma" is appropriate. A dilemma is something like what the US government will feel obligated to do for someone who has built in a floodplain against the advice of the government and then becomes a flood victim. Victim?

Does one face a dilemma about buying car insurance because it might turn out I won't be in an accident?

[GZ Expat]

Cosmo...

You are correct. I am not panicing here, but I am erring on the cautious side. I want to be prepared when the sh*t does hit the fan to be able to move swiftly.

The people here are notorious for spreading rumors and acting on those rumors which has led to protests (anti-Japan) and runs on banks. I can definitely see a point if this does go pandemic of a bit of a panic here in the country that there will be a run on Tamiflu and other medicines and health services. Leaving those that are legitimately ill with little or no options.

Thanks for the note...come back often!

[GZ Expat]

John...

Not looking for the government to do anything for me. Other than...if a pandemic does occur and I decide to send my family back to the USA to avoid the crush on healthcare...that they will be allowed back into the country, despite the fact that they have come from the center of the pandemic. My fear is...they will shut the borders to everyone that is not inside the country...including American citizens abroad.

[John B. Chilton]

GZ Expat,

It's a cost to others whether it's obvious (such as the cost of flying a citizen out of an evacuation zone), or it's not so obvious (such as exposing others to a potential pandemic).

It's an empirical public health question whether shutting the borders could save more lives than not. Point taken that panic/overreaction could themselves cause damage.

[Conrad]

Given China's past history, it is foolish to assume that the public or international community would be informed of a flu outbreak there until such time as it had become an undeniable epidemic.

In light of that, is an aircraft, cooped up with hundreds of possible carriers and breathing circulated air for 18 hours really where you want to be? If you are not infected before you boarded, what are the odds that you would be by the time you deplaned?

I am currently living in Vietnam which, if not ground zero for a possible outbreak, is as close as makes no difference, and Chinese medical facilities look state of the art compare to what's on offer here.

I figure that, in the event of a human outbreak, whether I live or die will be entirely up to the strength of my immune response.

Life's a bitch, but then, what else is new?

[GZ Expat]

Conrad...

The thought has crossed my mind about the trans-pacific flight.

Stevo just moved from HCMC to Taiwan...he went through hell and back with healthcare and all of that while in HCMC...well aware of the facilities there.

I guess I'll need to hire an armed guard to protect my stash of Tamiflu.

[juandos]

"My fear...is if there is a pandemic outbreak and I decide to get the family out of Dodge and send them home, the US government won't allow them access, despite being citizens"...

So who's fault is it that you moved your family to China>

[Conrad]

Juandos:

You should thank your lucky stars that there are Americans willing to move to and work in devloping countries. Ever hear of "globalization"? Comes from the word "glode" as in the entire planet of which the US is only a small part.

God knows there are plenty of Taiwanese, Japanese, Koreans and Eurpoeans out here who are more than willing to take the business that the US would be missing were Americans to sit on their asses and stay home.

So, if we all die of bird flu, we have the consolation of knowing we died in the service of US economic superiority.

It's not quite as stirring as "for God and country" but what the hell. It beats keeling over from clogged arteries in Cleveland.

[cosmo]

Conrad? As in Gweilo Diaries Conrad?

[Merry]

I wouldn't worry too much about closed borders. Think SARS - the planes didn't shut down, but you couldn't get on one if you had a fever. If you arrived in another country with SARS symptoms, you were quarantined until they were sure about you one way or the other. People returning to the US from heavily affected areas (Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, etc.) were not turned away, but in some cases they were asked to self quarantine until 10 days had passed and there was no danger of it spreading.

The only way to keep healthy travelers out would be if the entire world closed its borders to people coming from China - i.e. quarantining the entire country. Not likely.

[GZ Expat]

Merry...

SARS was the first time this sort of thing happened with the international community and it sort of caught them off-guard. There was no talk of prevention with SARS, it just happened. Because of that, governments were unable to react quickly enough to the spread (and as such, many residents in Canada were infected and died). This time, the thought process is a little different and the rhetoric coming out of the White House is a little more pointed.

Juandos (Double John??)...

Never regretted it one bit. I have a job to do here...but, as Conrad pointed out, the job is a bit broader than that. My job is to represent America and Americans. It is people like myself and Conrad that give people the good impression of America (not TV shows). It is the reason when you go to any Consulate in China and see thousands of people waiting in line for visa applications. You don't find those same long, winding lines at the British or French consulates.

Conrad...
An honor to have you post to the site. I do miss your blog.

[Conrad]

Cosmo:

Yes. One and the same.

GZ:

Thanks for the undeserved compliment.

Your embassy observation is spot on. I had to go to both the US and Britsh embassies in Hanoi a few weeks ago. The US embassy was packed to the rafters with visa seekers, plus a healthy contingent of expats seeking whatever. The British embassy was literally deserted -- I was the only non-employee in the place.