Mexico gov't decrees special powers in flu crisis

[seemslikeadream]

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN25479998

MEXICO CITY, April 25 (Reuters) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon issued an emergency decree on Saturday giving the government special powers to run tests on sick people and order them isolated to fight the deadly flu crisis.

Mexico City has already shut schools and museums and canceled sporting and cultural events as an outbreak of a new type of swine flu killed up to 68 people in the country and spread north to infect some people in the United States.

Saturday's decree, published in Mexico's official journal, gives the government power to isolate sick people, enter homes or workplaces and regulate air, sea and land transportation to try to stop further infection.

The flu has rattled residents of Mexico's overcrowded capital of some 20 million people.

Calderon tried to calm Mexicans earlier on Saturday, saying the flue was curable. He said health authorities easily had enough antiviral medicine for the 1,000 or so people suspected to be infected with the swine flu and that his government was monitoring the situation "minute by minute."

Tests on Saturday showed eight New York City schoolchildren had a type A influenza virus likely to be the same type as the Mexican flu, adding to nine people in California and Texas who tested positive for it, although they later recovered. Two swine flu cases were also confirmed in Kansas.

[DJ13]

1. Hmm

http://members.tripod.com/~Sidlinger/ml.html
MARTIAL LAW

[Jeep789]

2. Yeah, that's going to help

Why does every crisis cause nuts in power to want even more power to screw things up?

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Because that is SOP in any public health emergency

read about similar teams doing the same in the US in 1918

That is Standard Operating Procedure in a public health setting

I suggest you pick a book on epidieomology or history... preferably both

[Jeep789]

10. And how much good has it done?

I remember when they wanted to quarantine HIV patients too. I find it wrong. And it doesn't require special powers by the President either. I suggest you quit being so snippy in your responses to fellow posters.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Let me see, we have no reports of deaths today...

and if the infection rate starts to crash, yes it works... and people who have a far better idea than you do in these matters, you know they have masters and PhDs in this quaint science called epidemiology, a sub-class of public health, have found that well it works

By the way, you are comparing apples and oranges

HIV was modeled on TB... but we never went there since it is far less infectious than even TB ever was. (And here is a piece of trivia, if you are a non compliant TB patient, to this day federal and state authorities can order you quarantined... and there are very valid reasons too)

But Pandemics do require that some measures be taken

Oh and in case you wonder some nations DID quarantine HIV patients, Cuba comes to mind... and it was a good lab that proved that in that case it didn't work

But in things like this... it works

In fact, they are doing it right now, as I type. See quite a few million staid home today... it is called home bound quarantine... and it might help break the cycle... we will know in five to ten days

Oh and Troops are ALREADY in the streets doing public health work like oh distributing masks and manning wash stations... where else have I seen that? Oh yes, them pesky history books... see 1918 epidemic and US History

[Jeep789]

12. Things have changed quite a bit since 1918

If you want to be all hyped up about the pandemic it is okay by me, but I don't want you or anyone else ordering me to be tested or isolated. Thanks for your help, but no thanks.

By the way, sometimes what you can learn from history is what didn't really work.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Hyped? YOU NUTS? Concerned yes, hyped no

now if actually paying attention is being hyped.

Or actually INFORMED on how this works and what the Procedures are... even HERE in the good Ol' of US of A

Ok then guilty as charged

:rolleyes:

[Jeep789]

23. You quote a procedure used in 1918 as if it was were done every

day. :crazy:

[Joe the Revelator]

15. If you don't like snippy answers, I would suggest that you know what you're talking about

before you open your mouth. Everything you say is discredited when you try to compare a blood borne pathogen to an airborne pathogen. A quarantine is very effective for one, and not so effective for the other.

[Jeep789]

22. Where did I compare them?

I simply said there were people who wanted to quarantine them. I suggest you quit attempting to guess what people mean instead of simply answering what they say. I am really tired of people like you jumping on posters for intentions you dream up.

[Joe the Revelator]

24. You made a very clear comparison

You said: And how much good has it done?I remember when they wanted to quarantine HIV patients too

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your comparison is clear as day. I'm getting really tired of people like you who try to lie their way out of what they type.

[uppityperson]

25. Comparing HIV and influenza quarentines is not a good comparison

Rate of spread and method of transmission are very different.

[seemslikeadream]

3. Mexico May Isolate Patients With Deadly Swine Flu

http://www.nytimes.com/glogin?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/world/americas/26mexico.html&OQ=_rQ3D1Q26hpw&OP=1ee8b192Q2F.9Q2Az.mnQ5BQ60innsQ2B.Q2BQ26Q262.Q26J.Q2BN.9ni5m.Q3EvQ2Ai6Q5BQ3EQ60.Q2BNvQ2Aj6Q5BnQ25Q27sv5

Mexico May Isolate Patients With Deadly Swine Flu
By MARC LACEY and ELISABETH MALKIN
Published: April 26, 2009
President Felipe Calderón published an order that would give his government extraordinary powers, including isolating those affected by the rare virus.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. ah step 1.5.... soon the metro will be shut down

why? It moves a day 1.5 million people... oh that's average... at times the load is higher

[seemslikeadream]

6. nad

I am responsible for all the panic in the world cause I post stuff, did ya hear?

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. You and the who... tomorrow morning will update my spread map...

or for that matter do it now, by just writing down my list of latest outbreaks...

Looking for the pattern

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. 'special powers'

:scared: Bush would have loved the opportunity

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. THis is actually SOP in a health care emergency

I need to keep pointing this out

[TheWatcher]

14. SHUT UP TERRORIST!!!!!!!!111111

Stop all this spreading of Fear and Panic At ONCE!

Don't you know that Informed = Ignorance?

GUARDS!!!!! SEIZE HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111

:sarcasm:

Thanks for the update SLAD.

And don't mind the Pooh-Pooh Brigade.

They would attack you for spreading Panic if you informed us of an Asteroid hitting the planet.

AFTER THE FACT.

:hi:

[rainbow4321]

16. Airports and bus stations being "guarded" in Mexico

ooooohhhh, this may get uglier...using words like "corralling" the ill.


http://twitter.com/veratect


Mexico: Soldiers and Health Workers Guarding Airports and Bus Stations, Corralling Those Potentially Ill with Swine Influenza
about 4 hours ago from web


New York: "Panicked" families attend screening session at local hospital; "angry" school delayed closure over "probable" swine influenza.
about 4 hours ago from web

Mexico City: Mayor states 70% of bars, clubs and restaurants shut down.
about 5 hours ago from web

Mexico City: Police arrest two for selling face masks at 25x the normal rate. Most pharmacies sold out of masks.
about 6 hours ago from web

[Earth_First]

17. Let's see here... What's the American equivlalent called?

:tinfoilhat:

[TheWatcher]

18. Martian Law?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

19. I'm just glad Glenn Beck is off the air for a few days

My conservative friend at work has been relatively calm, but expect all of your rightwing co-workers to go nuts Monday when they get their dose of paranoia.

Not that a crisis doesn't exist, but they're going to tak eit into looney tunes land.

They'll blame all of this on Mexicans and illegal immigrants.

[TahitiNut]

20. Gee... now who could've seen THAT coming? Special powers? Golly.

:eyes:

[rcrush]

21. Hmmm that doesnt sound good.

Nope not good at all.