We’ve been monitoring reports lately, and it seems like the H1N1 virus is becoming a real problem in China.
Since we were planning on going in November, it’s really out of the question now, as flu season will be in full swing and worse than any other time.
The ministry has said it plans to vaccinate 65 million people, or five percent of the total 1.3 billion population, before year’s end.
Vaccinating 5%.
And the hardest hit cities would be Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai — exactly the three spots we want to visit.
I don’t want to catch it personally, but traveling there as foreigners, would also not help our case if we did catch it and had to stay there to be quarantined or denied entry back into Canada.
So it’s sad, but BF and I are staying put in Canada for the winter.
The good news is that we’re saving the money, and maybe it’ll be cheaper to travel next year. 🙂
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
I think you’re wise to postpone your trip, but more because of the severity of the possible government actions than the severity of the flu.
Yes, people have died, but from what I’ve heard the seasonal flu is worse or at least about the same. If possible quarantines and school closings aren’t an overreaction, then should we do this every flu season? And if not, why?
I’d much rather hear less talk of government-enforced quarantines and more commonsense stuff like “If you’re sick, stay home. If your employee is sick, don’t force them to come to work.” My chorus teacher had the flu earlier this semester. I found out because she stayed home for her first few classes. She told the office lady who told me that she’d try to make it for the main chorus class. I decided to stay home and not get sick from her. Personally, I think that was very irresponsible of her and now several other people are sick. That same week a friend called to tell me she was sick but would still be having her party the next day if the meds she was on helped her symptoms enough. And then I informed her that she might as well postpone it because none of us could afford to get sick.
THAT to me is an appropriate response. And if people would just use a little common sense and think of others we wouldn’t need to even talk about government imposed quarantines or closing entire schools or forced vaccinations of barely tested vaccines.
@Meg:
I don’t think it’s blown out of proportion, especially not when it comes to China (under)reporting its statistics and their sort of vague promises.
Clearly people can and have died from this flu if left untreated, and it’s rare but it’s possible. I may end up being that “omg rare!” statistic.
I don’t want to waste my lovely vacation possibly being quarantined, wasting $5000 on what I thought would be a great trip, covering my face, mouth and hands just to avoid catching it and bringing it back to spread during November flu season.
re: @LA Daze‘s comment as well, there’s just a much higher chance of getting it in China, especially going to 3 of the most populated cities, and having to be with so many people crammed into one spot and area at once.
@LA Daze: I think what worries me the most is the sheer amount of people in China.
I went to Japan once and it was crazy how tight everything is. Everyone is around you, jostling, snorting, sneezing, spitting, coughing.. You’re on a subway and you are packed in so tight you can’t move, even if someone is sneezing all over your face.
It was WORSE than being in New York City! 🙂
I can’t imagine what it must be like in China, now that the population has grown so much. And all it takes is a touch to get it.
It’s nothing at all like the space we have here in Canada.
@munchkin: Good call 😉
@CanadianSaver: I still have to go to Europe next year in the summer, but it’s not during flu season and not quite as jam packed as Asia can be.
awww bummer.
Smart move. I am also delaying my next trip to Europe because of the flu. I’ll see how things are in early January and book things then if all appears fine.
.-= CanadianSaver´s last blog ..Changing my name =-.
this can be a good thing. If it is quite the epidemic there then their tourism will take a hit which means prices will drop. I’m sure it will be cheaper next year 🙂
.-= munchkin´s last blog ..No Spending Days =-.
That’s such a shame but I totally get where you’re coming from. I was also worried about being quarantined when I went to HK in July. And it really sucks to have to constantly watch out around you because somebody is coughing or sneezing and does that person have swine flu? I’m out of here! Especially in those cities, there’s no personal space. People are touching you when you walk by, just because there are so.many.people.
Asia won’t go anywhere! And the best thing after such scares? Those cities take better preventative measures and as a result are cleaner.
.-= LA Daze´s last blog ..For future reference… =-.
Sad how this is getting so blown out of proportion. I mean, things COULD get bad (e.g. the virus could mutate and become more deadly), but then lots of other less foreseeable bad things could happen, too, and in the meantime this virus — while definitely is deadly to some — is about as bad as the seasonal flu.
In fact, my niece already got it as well as several people I know. I’m probably next as it’s going around here like nuts. But it really hasn’t been too awful for the people I’ve known. My niece was her usual teenage self complaining about being stuck up in her room when she wanted to go to her boyfriend’s house — which she eventually did do after a lot of moaning and groaning.
Anyhow, it does suck to get sick on vacation, but considering the drawbacks of traveling in a cramped airplane I just sort of expect to catch something, at least by the time I’m headed home. I got a nasty little fever coming home from London, but fortunately they still let me go home despite looking as sick as I felt.