By: Mario Beltrán y Puga
Translation: Lorena Vargas
When the swine flu crisis began in Mexico, it soon became very clear that the country’s economy would be greatly affected by this outbreak. A week into the crisis restaurants, theatres, bars, nightclubs, and shopping malls were closed in order to prevent the spread of the flu. As a consequence of all these places going out of business for a few days, as well as a lack of tourism, Mexico’s economy lost approximately one billion dollars. The city of Cancún begs tourists to come, while people in Acapulco throw stones at busses coming from Mexico City.
Mexico City has been unrecognizable for the last few weeks; there has been no traffic and very little activity. The international media are the ones who have spread national fear of a worldwide epidemic. If a terrified population wasn’t enough, the secretary of tourism stated that if was not safe to come to Mexico. ¿Where is all this chaos heading?
While it may be true that there was an epidemic, it was blown out of proportion. Maybe Mexico was not ready to fight off the swine flu, but what nobody noticed or even paid attention to during this crisis was that there have been other diseases, like the dengue fever, that have killed many more Mexicans than the swine flu.
International newspapers, especially those from North America were the ones responsible for spreading the idea of an infected Mexico. Countries like China and Argentina have closed their borders and banned the entrance of pork products coming from Mexico. Mexican employees have to work from their homes, or in the worst of cases not work at and therefore don’t get paid.
Japanese airlines have stated that they will resume their flights to Mexico in June. Similar measures are being taken by the European Union who advised their citizens to cancel any flights to Mexico.
Taking into consideration that tourism is the third most important source of income for Mexico, something has to be done and quickly. If we continue to spread international panic and fear, stockholders and investors are going to leave the country and our economy is going to be in shambles.
As long as Mexico is seen as the epicenter of this swine flu pandemic, the task to regain the country’s reputation will be a long and hard one. The only question left to ask is ¿Why has the international community so vehemently tarnished Mexico’s reputation?
Mexico City has been unrecognizable for the last few weeks; there has been no traffic and very little activity. The international media are the ones who have spread national fear of a worldwide epidemic. If a terrified population wasn’t enough, the secretary of tourism stated that if was not safe to come to Mexico. ¿Where is all this chaos heading?
While it may be true that there was an epidemic, it was blown out of proportion. Maybe Mexico was not ready to fight off the swine flu, but what nobody noticed or even paid attention to during this crisis was that there have been other diseases, like the dengue fever, that have killed many more Mexicans than the swine flu.
International newspapers, especially those from North America were the ones responsible for spreading the idea of an infected Mexico. Countries like China and Argentina have closed their borders and banned the entrance of pork products coming from Mexico. Mexican employees have to work from their homes, or in the worst of cases not work at and therefore don’t get paid.
Japanese airlines have stated that they will resume their flights to Mexico in June. Similar measures are being taken by the European Union who advised their citizens to cancel any flights to Mexico.
Taking into consideration that tourism is the third most important source of income for Mexico, something has to be done and quickly. If we continue to spread international panic and fear, stockholders and investors are going to leave the country and our economy is going to be in shambles.
As long as Mexico is seen as the epicenter of this swine flu pandemic, the task to regain the country’s reputation will be a long and hard one. The only question left to ask is ¿Why has the international community so vehemently tarnished Mexico’s reputation?
MEDRANO
ReplyDeletemany reasons........
Well, the swine flu is not only a big problem in Mexico, is a big problem for all the countries in the world. This is a tragic event that many countries can suffer, regardless of being First World countries or in the most developing countries.
In the case of Mexico, it is the country where the swine flu began, and principally is the country that has the most deaths of persons due to this illness. The blame for spreading this illness and the big spread to many people of the Mexican society is the blame of the secretary of health and the government that had not taken the appropriate precautions to stop the swine flu with the first cases. All of these mistakes are making that many part of the Mexican society had problems of health with the illness, in consequence this making that the illness developed so fast in the society. And many times people don’t know that it was a epidemic of the swine flu.
This problem cause that Mexico society made decision of taking some extreme measures for few days. Principally with the schools, night clubs, restaurants, and other business that had to close. These acts for control the illness, and the basic health measures, cause that México begun a stage of alert to stop this epidemic fu. Then the government stages the alert and affect a lot of people that work and need to work for survive, in consequence the México had a very big problems in its economy. This economy impact was so hard, that people do not find the way to take care of their family. Also Mexican economy was affected by the recession of the United States of America.
This the entire factor the imprudence of the government, the recession of United States, and the epidemic of the virus of human flu, are making that Mexican economy enters in very hard moments.
Not counting the lost of many foreign countries that are afraid to come to Mexico because they think that they are going to infect. So this situation affects all the tourism in Mexico causing more problems in the economy.
Creo que mucha de la información que han dado acerca de la influenza humana ha sido alterada y no es 100% cierta, puesto que los medios de comunicación informan y transmiten aquello que les es conveniente.
ReplyDeletePor otro lado, no es justa la manera en que otros países han actuado con México. Aquí no se creo el virus a propósito, simplemente fue el país en el cual brotó más rapido y pues no es para que hagan las cosas tan grandes; es lógico que tengan que tomar medidas pero no es manera de tratar a los mexicanos. Aquí en México les hemos abierto las puertas y los hemos ayudado cuando nos necesitan, y pues no se vale que respondan de esa manera. Y bueno, como somos los mexicanos vamos a reabrirles las puertas en menos de lo que canta un gallo...
Y bueno, para concluir, lo único que nos queda es seguir teniendo las precauciones debidas para que la situación no agrave en todos los aspectos y que ya podamos tener la vida que antes teníamos como seres humanos normales.
Alice, jaja
Mexico is seriously having a lot of problems including the economic crisis, the swine flu and now the discrimination by other countries that in my opinion is hard for the mexicans and more knowing that the first swin flue case was not in mexico and that in USA are more than 2.500 cases(BBC mundo)and the mexicans from now are the villains of the novel. i think Felipe Calderón took actions quickly maybe a little exagerated for the tenagers but measures that give us more health security like causing less contagions of swin flue.until certain point i understand the preoccupation by the other countries but i think is not fair that for example in china private the mexicans of liberty when they are not infected i mean the mexican who was infected was right that were isolated because that is a good measure, but lock up healthy mexicans was really exagerated and cruel.obviosly the most of the authorities are worry about what will happen because there is not enough virus cure for all the people of the world, and they want to prevent a pandemic. we cannot do anything for the reputation that some countries are giving us, but we as a mexican have to prevent more cases providing new information to the mexicans and being conscious of what the swin flue is and following all the recomendations that the heath sector provide us.
ReplyDeleteHi I think this is an interesting post
ReplyDeleteFirst of all if the tourism stays in a constant decrease a lot of business will break and our economy will get in troubles.Then as you are saying important countries like China and the European Union are taking measures that are making a chaos in the airlines. If we let internacional panic and fear continue spreading, a lot of important economic countries wont want mexicans in their territories and wont let their citizens come either, the entire situation could bring another crisis as a consequence because all this involves the tourism. Tourism is our third most important source of income for Mexico so we got to do something quickly.
Swine flu is just another disease, there are others diseases that kill more people so the situation is not as serious as the media says. I think USA is spreading that Mexico is infected and Mexico instead of stopping this situation, is letting USA continue spreading what they want. Mexico should look at all the economic consequences this situation is bringing with itself.
Internally the country also will suffer dramatic consequences because the swine flu crisis is stopping the normal productive ryhtm of the country. There are a lot of people that needs to get paid so that they can survive and with the measures that the goverment is taking a lot of mexicans have to find another way for earning money so that they can survive. We can not stay like this, we got to do something.
Finally I think the information you give in this post is important and is another way of looking at the situation. More people (specially the media) should give this kind of information so that the citicenz can know what is going on and also can do something about it. Also mexican goverment should think better the decisions they take so that the consequences of this decisions wouldn’t bring dramatic effects to the country.
Mildred
Marco Antonio Sánchez Guzmán.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that Mexico suffers drastically changes in their culture, habbits, and economic situation. Since that thursday night when the Secretary of Health of Mexico announced the suspension of classes in Mexico City the chaos started. On Friday all Mexico was relaxed about the situation but with the pass of the days the media just talked about the swine flu, not else.
The media just carry out their job, but all these information create an enormous chaos all over the world.
People now point at you if you sneeze or if you cough, (sometimes just because of the weather or for reasons that have any relation with the swine flu). Since media awares that Mexico was the center of this epidemic, their reputation, as the author said, was badly tarnished; because of that Mexico´s economy decreased drastically in the last weeks.
As other countries are restricting the chances of all kind of communication with Mexico, the country do not have the same incoming that they had days before. One of the most importants sectors of the natonial economic incoming, tourism, is begging for job but panic is just repelling it.
In my opinion Mexico took the right decision in both aspects: in the suspension of activities to prevent a major number of ill people, and now in the application of low taxes, looking for invertions that refresh the economy of the country.
Natalia Márquez
ReplyDeleteThis is a big problem that has caused severe problems in Mexico and especially the people. Although my view is that Obahama came to Mexico to talk with Calderon and propose that it would create this condition in order that the pharmaceutical industry to sell and raise its economy, because if you don´t make war, disease, and supporting the United States would help us after the crisis. Well, looking around, the president of the United States came 3 days and the epidemic began.
This attempt to scare people and pharmaceuticals consumed by fear of getting sick. Besides reviewing the INEGI survey we can clearly see that 15 thousand people die annually from flu atypical, while this alleged swine flu died very small quantities, so that isn´t consistent wanted to alarm people if the epidemic wasn´t really so strong, equally by the government and the media was all very confusing and not clear, suggesting that there are situations which are not hidden they should be known.
Finally I think you have much bigger problem to which they should be given more importance. And if my hypothesis is correct, I think the authorities should not be manipulated by other governments as the first help solve their biggest problems caused to us, because no matter how step and if this is true of swine flu, that caused many economic problems, because thousands of people lost jobs and profits, thereby prolonging the crisis.
Carolina G. Lemus (:
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious that media is one of the most important causes of the public panic. In my opinion, the swine flu crisis is not as big as it seems. The media is the reason of the public panic and the way Mexico is being treated. The influenza is a new and important theme but there are more important things that are not being treated with the importance they need.
All this problem affects us in a direct or indirect way: you can get sick -i don't think that's very possible- or you can have economic problems because of the suspention of laboral activities.
My general opinion is taking only the NECESSARY cautions. This is not a real big problem.
First of all I think that Mexico caused the panic in the population, because the OMS´s rules. Maybe the OMS did not considered the future problems with mexican economy, but in my opinion Mexico did a nice work to stop this swine flu epidemic. I am not agree how many countries reacted against Mexico, they just showed the incompetence and ignorance that they have. Now Mexico has to help all of sectors that have been afected, like turism and restaurants, and take measures with the countries that did not show any solidarity.
ReplyDeleteIn conclution Mexico will be pretty afected economiclly this year. Also Mexico realize that no all countries are friends of us. And finally Mexico has to implement measures to help all the economy.
Marco Sandoval
María Marines
ReplyDeleteobviously the economy in Mexico low surprisingly thanks to the epidemic for the closing of beres, cinemas, restaurants and many things more although of not being because of it the epidimia had expanded much more and had affected a big number of persons for what I believe that this safety measurement really was necessary to apply and it was the whole success.
But in the aspect in which I am not deacuerdo the fact is that the tourism was diminishing it is clear that the epidemic has not finished yet but that's why they do not have to despise us as country either since as soon as everything is solved I believe that Mexico will be again like earlier.
Flores Hernández.
ReplyDeleteI think people is acting with panic and in many cases with ignorance, here in Mexico, and in the rest of the countries. The media have the power to manipulate and modify information, and this is causing panic and discrimination from other countries. The swine flu is real and is here, the virus AH1N1 has nothing related with porks, other of the ignorance acts from people, that stop the comercialization of pork. The economy of Mexico is falling down because of the reputation as a "infection focus". Turism, comercialization of pork, resataurants, theaters, etc, everything, closed for a week, and now, working with their 50% of the capacity. People should act with responsability, but not with panic. Other problem that I think is happening, is that the government is taking advantage of the situation, for the militarization of the police, and the conflict between UNAM and SEP.I hope taht all of this pass fast, and that the reputation of Mexico stop being like the "infection focus" for the rest of the world.
Flores Hernández, Ana Reyna.
Olivera
ReplyDeleteSwine flu is a very big problem for Mexico, because it will affect very badly the economy of the country. But this crisis not only affects Mexico it also affect other countries because this virus is not originally from Mexico. There are many theories that said that many people that went on vacations to the USA on Spring Break bring back the virus, when they return to Mexico.
But in the case of Mexico, where the virus develops quickly, and have more deaths so the government needed to take quick actions so the epidemic won’t spread more. So they began closing public places. Like restaurants, theatres, bars, nightclubs, and shopping malls, to prevent the spread. But thanks to this closing, cause that Mexico lose many money because all the business where close. And also if some small businesses where open they won’t gain enough money to stay open, because people entered in panic and won’t go out of their homes. Also another problem for the economy was that the people from others countries won’t come to Mexico because of the fear of being infected. So many countries like Argentina close their borders to prevent the arrival of Mexicans, so the flu won’t get there. Also this situation of the tourism affects a lot the economy of the country because Mexico base a lot part of their gains in this business. And this is a very big problem because workers can´t take care of their families because in some cases industries won’t paid them.
And also in cities like Acapulco throw rocks to people that come from Mexico City.
Well obviously the reputation of the country is going down because people from others countries have the fear of come to Mexico and get infected. So they prefer to stay on their countries instead of coming here.
Nowadays our country is victim of histeria there is nothing to change it. The population tends to be suspicious, they do not believe in their institutions. Actually I think that it´s a lie, the flu does not exist. Mexico was facing an economical crisis, our government needed money to achieve an economic equilibrium. They could not afford money from the IMF if they do not face a contigency. I think the Mexican government choose an innocent disease to disguise the real problem. A disease at a global warning, and as an epidemic problem will give to mexican government enough reasons to justify another credit to the IMF.
ReplyDeleteThe reaction of the media caused a lot of panic in the mexican popullation. The television and radio talked about the flu, the warnings, how to take care of it and what are the indications of the flu. IF you watch the television, at every commercial spot you could watch one of two commercials about the flu; although in the radio the locutor talks about the flu. In the television news the people could watch plenty of articles about the flu, the stadistics of the ill people, but media did not interview a sick pacient.
Mexican government had economical reasons to create chaos in the mexican popullation, and with the control of the media they could create it. After the new of the flu is known at a worldwide level, Mexico is able to ask for money to the IMF using the decease as an excuse for the money.
During the quarintine week I watch CNN news and they did not mention the flu more than one minute. I saw this when mexican television mention the the dicease arrived to the US. I also noticed that in the Congress channel, the members of the camera didn't wear the protection that the media tell the popullation to use.
As a conclusion I believe that the dicesase was an excuse to create panic and ask for international resources, but the government wasn't expecting the actual consequences, the discrimination to the mexican tourist in the foreign countries, and the fear of international tourist to come and visit Mexico. This consequences may put the country in a worst situation.
Paulina A. Salvador Ceja n_n
Massive communication media are responsible of all the panic that Mexico and the entire world is suffering. Every hour, for not to say every spot, we saw in television used to talk us about the bad conditions of Mexico. Beside of this not all the information that was given to the audience was from experts, politicians also gave us their opinion and ignorant people take it as a fact.
ReplyDeleteIt do is a fact that Mexico has been affected because of the swine flu, but it is not the only country that has suffer this problem. United States of America has had more diseases than Mexico and it has been treated as a not infected country. As the article said, North American countries have shown Mexico as the guilty of Swine flu problems and it citizens in the whole world has suffered the consequences.
Because of all of this arguments Mexico has been discriminated by every people that believe what media said. As much as sportsman as politicians has treated as contaminated stuff and has been rejected from any country that could do that. People in other countries, even they weren't in direct contact with infected people has been separated from people of other countries, as it happens in CHINA.
To conclude I just want to say that Mexico didn't knew how to deal with this biological problem, and it is just an advise to say to the world that Mexico isn't ready to control a problem and at the same time show to the world that we are a good country. Media need to check the information that is given to the audience and not just in time of danger, it must be anytime. I really hope that Mexico's leathers show an intelligent attitude and a biggest level of knowledge the next time MEXICO face a problem of this magnitude.
IGNACIO REYES SOLÍS
Personally, I am not thinking of the Swine Flu, or H1N1, on a daily basis. The only time it crosses my mind is when the media here in the U.S. brings it up. Because it does not affect me directly or at least has not yet, I'll have to admit that the panic strikes me as a bit distant and not as horrible and drastic as what I have heard from every source of news in the past month. It reminds me of the SARS outbreak and how people were temporarily terrified of contracting that virus. Perhaps that is why this scare isn't really affecting my life or thoughts whatsoever. I have deep compassion and sympathy for those affected, please do not mistake me, but I feel very removed from the situation all together.
ReplyDeleteI think as of now, the best thing that the Mexican government can do is to show to the rest of the world that the Swine Flu epidemic in Mexico is not nearly as bad as the international media is portraying it to be. Moreover, as an American student, I defintely agree with most of the comments on this post, and I defintely agree that the media has portrayed the virus as way worse than it is. I believe that the only way to combat this is to try and move on and show the world that Mexico is ok and can move on!
ReplyDelete-Chris Simmons