Deadly swine flu virus in Mexico

[HotTamale]

Hey ladies, please read the following and encouraging email I received from Blue Parrot in Playa Del Carmen; I received this today:

 

"Its Not An Epidemic...Its An Infodemic."

 

Greetings to All Friends of The Blue Parrot!

 

First off, thanks for all of your thoughts and wishes directed to us during this crisis. We truly appreciate it.

 

"Its Not An Epidemic...Its An Infodemic."

After saying that today on CNN, travel authority Peter Greenberg announced that he was heading to Cancun this week, citing some of the lowest airfares in history, including $150 USD (pre-tax) Round Trip airfares to New York-Cancun!

 

This has been one of those "good news--bad news" scenarios. The good news is that--hour by hour--the recent Influenza outbreak is appearing to be much less threatening than has been endlessly speculated in the press over the past week.

 

The bad news is that the travel and hospitality industry has been devastated by the doomsday scenarios discussed ad nauseum in the tabloid news media. It was particularly bad coming on the heels of the last media drama--the threat to tourists posed by the Mexican Crime Wave. Needless to say, no tourists were harmed during that round of media hyperbole either.

 

The reality is that Playa del Carmen--and for that matter the entire Mexican Caribbean--is healthier, safer and more affordable than ever. There are no "epidemic" face masks, there is virtually no crime and people are still kissing on the street and partying the night away on the beach at the Blue Parrot. [end of email]

 

To me this speaks volumes.

[Jacilynda]

Thanks April. Michelle posted that same letter earlier today.

 

Thankfully all of my guests have come around and are planning on being there. Our only issue at this time is the military ban

[heidi_lk]

Hello All,

 

We were unfortunately made to cancel but happy to report that we were able to reschedule and have a May 20th date in Cuba!!! Its not my well planned Gran Bahia wedding, but it’s a wedding!! Even better was all but 2 guests were able to rebook. Not impressed with Airtransat charging all my guests and us an extra $200... but better than losing money!! And the Cuban resort has been great accommodating our wedding and us. I am planning on doing my 1st year anniversary at the Bahia Coba though, as they were also absolutely wonderful handling this situation!

 

Heidi

[Jacilynda]

oh yay Heidi! I'm soooo glad you were able to rebook! Your wedding will be amazing no matter where you are!

[emme]

Wonderful news Heidi...I'm so very happy for you!! You'll have to fill us in on the Cuba planning now

 

Which resort / location did you choose?

[Mylee84]

well i am trying to keep up with this thread but there are so many posts. I wanted to say i am so sorry for all you girls that had to cancel their weddings! My heart is with you! We have looked into a plan B but it just would work out. Everyone was still wanting to go to Mexico. Anyways the only problem we ran into was my best friends job told her she had to stay off work for 10 days once she got back. Well she talked to her boss and if she goes to the doctor and gets a note before she goes back she is good to go. So maybe you girls that are still trying to go to mexico could have guests go to the doc when they get back?? I hope this helps some!

[tylersgirl]

Heidi-that is amazing! Yes, I am interested in hearing about your Cuba wedding too! Congrats!

 

Mylee-I am so glad that all of your guests are going to Mexico with you

[angruck]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSUangel25 From the WHO: WHO | Influenza A(H1N1) - update 10 "Mexico has reported 397 confirmed human cases of infection, including 16 deaths. The higher number of cases from Mexico in the past 48 hours reflects ongoing testing of previously collected specimens. The United States Government has reported 160 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death." From Mexico's confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu rise to 443_English_Xinhua: MEXICO CITY, May 2 (Xinhua) -- "Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova said on Saturday that until Friday night there have been 1,105 tests to detect the influenza A/H1N1, among which 443 in the country were positive. Out of the positive cases 427 patients are alive, while 16 died. Among the total of the deaths, 12 were women..." FYI...this means that approximately 38% of people that are suspected of having swine flu (or H1N1 as they want us to call it ) actually have it! I'm so over this! BTW...I officially had my first breakdown today. Don't know how I waited this long. Since we're leaving on Wednesday this was the weekend that people were going to cancel if they aren't going. Count today: 18 people have canceled including my dad, my brother (who is a GM), my MOH and 2 other GM. I'm so bummed...

I am so sorry to hear that!!! Keep in mind you were doing this just for the two of you, maybe someone will reconsider! you will have a beautiful wedding no matter what though!

[Andi]

Hi Everyone....DH and I are back safe in the US today (Booooo! I wasn't ready to leave PV )

 

Anyway, just wanted to share some details of the PV airport and what was happening there.

 

As I reported earlier in the week we did go into downtown PV one night, I think Wednesday and all was fine, sure there were a few wearing masks but really nothing out of the ordinary at all.

 

At the airport yesterday, before you were allowed to proceed to your airline check-in counter ALL passengers had to fill out an extra form. the form basically said who are you, where have you been, where are you going, how do you feel (body aches, fever, yadda yadda). Then you got into a line and had to have your temperature taken by a doctor that they had there. now don't freak by this...it really was nothing at all! the thermometer was one they just put close to your forehead and the temp popped out on it within seconds. the dr. wrote your temp down and then you had to take the form to another lady who reviewed everything (very quickly mind you) and then stamped it and sent you on your marry way. this whole extra process took us an extra 10 minutes max when we checked in.

 

so when DH and I arrived at the airport we were directed where to go to get this extra form right away and it really was easy and smooth. however as we were then waiting in line for our airline to check in, DH noticed there were a TON of people without the form (which you had to have to check in) and nobody was telling you needed the form until you reached the ticket counter. so he proceeded to go down our entire line and the one next to ours (all americans of course) and make sure they had their form because he felt bad that people were waiting in line and they didn't have their form and he didn't want them to wait and then be sent to the back. I just laughed at him while he was doing this...it was good for us actually because about 6 people that were ahead of us had to get out of line so our wait was less!

 

so the airport was pretty busy yesterday and as we checked in and walked to our gate I noticed that really not a lot people were wearing masks, including the airline employees. our guess was that maybe 1 in every 40 or 50 had a mask on. on our flight as people were getting on board I counted 5 people (out of 132 which the plane held) that had the masks on. what I for the life of me couldn't understand is that these people had their masks on in the terminal and when they got on the plane but then once they sat down they took the masks off! correct me if i am wrong but doesn't that defeat the purpose? anyway that was just odd to me

 

so we are back and really I just wanted to report that all is fine in mexico, we had no problems at all!

 

i do get to stay home tomorrow too! my work is making me...crazy i know, as there are still no confirmed cases in Jalisco and Nayarit (where we came from in Mexico) but yet there are at least 2 in Denver! whatever...i am not going to put up a stink about being able to stay home! I have wedding reviews and pics to post!

[kristin928]

Hey ladies,

I just got married last night in the Cancun area. I flew in last Tuesday and the only time I saw anyone wearing a mask was in the airport (the few workers screening bags after customs). I have 40 people total scheduled and we had 36 show up. Some of our guests were worried and got Tamiflu from their doctors. Now that I am down here, I feel there is NOTHING to worry about. I think the media has put such a hype on the flu and it seems silly, in my opinion. We had a WONDERFUL wedding and things could not have gone better. The resorts are empty so you get the resort to you and your guests-major bonus!

My husband and I will be in the Cancun area for another week and we don't plan on cutting any of our trip short.

I hope this helps some of you brides who are getting married soon. Good luck