Do we need to talk about swine flu?

Vice President Biden more or less threw tourism overboard this morning on The Today Show telling people that he would avoid commercial flights or riding in subway cars “at this point” because swine flu virus can spread “in confined places.”

Now what? Do we wait to make plans for trips? What are the rest of you doing?

Do we need to talk about swine flu?

Our flight to Maui leaves Wednesday the 13th and we plan to be on it!!!

Do we need to talk about swine flu?

Apparently he misspoke this morning and that%26#39;s not what he meant.

The White House quickly arranged for Biden to make this statement through a spokesperson.

“On the Today Show this morning, the vice president was asked what he would tell a family member who was considering air travel to Mexico this week. The advice he is giving family members is the same advice the administration is giving to all Americans: that they should avoid unnecessary air travel to and from Mexico. If they are sick, they should avoid airplanes and other confined public spaces, such as subways. This is the advice the vice president has given family members who are traveling by commercial airline this week. As the president said just last night, every American should take the same steps you would take to prevent any other flu: Keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you%26#39;re sick and keep your children home from school if they%26#39;re sick.”

Swine Flu is a variation of Type A Influenza, which has been prevelent in our society for centuries. Yes, it can kill, especially the younger and older populations and those that already have a compromised immune system, but it%26#39;s generally just a a royal pain in the you know what if you are unfortunate enough to contract the virus.

Take the normal precautions (wash hands fequently; cover your cough; avoid close proximity to those that appear ill) and you should be fine.

I am going to Maui May 9 come hell, high water, or swine flu!

Those two milks at the Lahina safeway for $10 are looking really good right now-i%26#39;m many a travler is rethinking both Hawaii and the caribbean with this fiasco going on-noticed that mexico is shutting down all non essciantial services -does that mean if you do go will your resort will be open when you get there or will fav restraunt be closed?

I can%26#39;t believe this thread is even posted on the Maui Forum. I definitely wouldn%26#39;t make the trip to Mexico but posting this on the Maui forum is complete paranoia. I am not scheduled to go to Maui until October but if my flight left tomorrow then I would be on it.

I would not worry. Ever since air travel was started we all carry the risk if catching whatever our fellow passengers have brought onboard. This is the flu, the flu can kill to be sure but the risk is minimal. We can%26#39;t just put our lives on hold because the media is hyping this as the most dangerous thing to come along since the dark ages. I flew on Monday and will do so again on Friday and have zero qualms about it.

As a side note, anyone with non refundable tickets to Maui that decides not to go let me know, I will take your tickets (for free of course).

Yes, everyone please cancel your trips, esp. those in the next weeks, that way it will be less crowded when I am there.

Don%26#39;t buy into the mainstreet media fear tactics. Remember the media loves these stories as fear gets ratings.

Just use common sense thats all and make sure you have enough money for a burial plot in the Valley Isle if things go downhill.

This is just another stupid statement by Biden. See Below:

';I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.';

---Joe Biden statement about US presidential candidate Barack Obama, January 2007.

';In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a 7/11 or a Dunkin’ Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I’m not joking.';

---Joe Biden statement in conversation with American-Indian political activist in 2006.

So far I have tried to ignore all the media hype and over-excitement about this H1N1 influenza virus. As of today 90 some people in the USA have been diagnosed with this and one has died (and this was a visitor from Mexico). And all this made headlines.

However, the fact that 36,000 Americans die every year from ordinary influenza (for which there is a vaccine) and 200,000 are hospitalized doesn%26#39;t even make the back page of the newspaper.

Yes, this new strain does not have a vaccine yet, but there are effective anti-viral treatments. So IMHO to cancel trips to anywhere other than Mexico, at this time, does not make sense. There have been more dangerous infections that have been brought on airplanes in the past (e.g. drug resistant TB). And that has never stopped people from flying.