H1N1 Quarantine

[jbradfor]

Exactly. At this point it seems China's "cure" for H1N1 is causing more damage than the disease.

Obviously scarred by their (horrible) under-reaction to SARS, now they appear (to me) to be over-reacting to H1N1.

[hidden12345]

What do you expect them to be like? Rational? This is China. This is the same country that publicly executed landlords 40 years ago, and, now, as the government contemplates adding a "bill of rights" to their constitution, the only right affirmed so far is the right of every Chinese citizen to earn money. This is not exactly a government known for its consistency (a condition rationality presupposes).

Edited June 18, 2009 at 01:32 PM by hidden12345

[Meng Lelan]

I wonder how momind's son is doing right now in quarantine.

[Momind]

Son is doing well, thank you. He's healthy, trying to learn some Chinese and stay up with his classmates by email or phone. The hotel staff is very welcoming, especially considering that none of the "guests" wish to be there. Son is cooperating and making the best of the situation.

[roddy]

So, is he out?

I'm not sure the measures taken are over-reactions - the government probably has a better idea than I do, but the risk of a virulent strain of flu taking hold in China's classrooms, hard-seat carriages and dormitories is there, and the medical system isn't exactly first-rate. But there's certainly some daft stuff going on. The building management here has taken to putting clingfilm over the lift buttons, and changing it once a day.

[Meng Lelan]

But there's certainly some daft stuff going on. The building management here has taken to putting clingfilm over the lift buttons, and changing it once a day.

Once a day? That's all? After being poked and punched by thousands of H1N1 laden fingers all day long?

[roddy]

Well, by midday there isn't actually any clingfilm left over the '1' and 'close doors' buttons, it's been worn away. It is daft, but at the same time there are stories in the paper about potential criminal charges for anyone whose neglect results in more cases, plus any Chinese company (and certainly educational institutions and anything state-owned) always has people hanging around waiting for something to get excited about.

[Meng Lelan]

So then in order to avoid H1N1 contamination, we need to choose buttons other than the frequently used and frequently contaminated "1 " button and the "close door " button. So you would need to punch the number "2" button, allow the doors to close on their own, then punch the less frequently used and less frequently contaminated "open door" button in order to exit the lift into the second floor, then go down the stairs to the first floor, that way you don't get H1N1.

[adrianlondon]

"A group of 52 UK schoolchildren and their teachers have been quarantined in Beijing after four children were found to have swine flu"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8157188.stm

Apparently, they're all in a 4-star hotel. Must be a fun job, working there.

[adrianlondon]

The kids are out, and the BBC now reports that they stayed in a "3-star hotel". The same hotel was 4 star when they last reported this story.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8160348.stm

If I went all the way to China and had to eat McDonalds and "coke and rice" every day, I'd be fed up too.

[roddy]

That's the one our original victim was in - it'll be the designated holding pen for foreign quarantinees. Here's the Tripadvisor page if you want to read more. Tragically nobody has posted there saying 'Help, they won't let me go home.'

[rob07]

I went to submit a visa application form this week and they made me sign something extra to say that it would be perfectly OK with me if they felt like locking me up for 7 days.

Someone at work had a story about a friend of theirs who sat near someone on a plane with swine flu. Several people were quarantined, most of whom were caucasian and put up in a nice hotel. The friend was a Chinese born Australian citizen who had lived in Australia for 40 years and she spent a week in a detention centre.

Any travel insurance? I guess this doesn't fall under health as there's nothing actually wrong with him most likely, but it's certainly a curtailment of sorts . .

Heard about someone who this happened to and who tried to claim on travel insurance only to find that the policy excluded pandemics,

[reallych1932]

Did he ghave to pay to be quarentined or was it free?

[jbradfor]

Heard about someone who this happened to and who tried to claim on travel insurance only to find that the policy excluded pandemics,

Not surprised. In a true pandemic, the number of canceled vacations, and hence amount they would need to pay out, might bankrupt the company.

Similarly to how most home owners insurance (in the USA, I assume elsewhere as well) excludes war, civil unrest, nuclear devices, etc. Payout would be too high.

[blink]

How exactly do they decide who to quarantine? I read something here about people showing 'hot'. Were they talking about infrared scanners? Doesn't seem like that would be the most fool proof way to choose - not to mention they'd likely have to quarantine a lot more people in order to avoid spreading infection from someone on a plane with H1N1 than just the people they sat next to, but don't tell the Chinese government I said that.

Anyone know how often they're quarantining people now?

I leave for China (BNU) the first week of September. Fingers crossed things settle down a bit by then.

[peekay]

First, when you get on the airplane, you have to fill out a medical form and attest if you have any flu symptoms (cough, runny nose, nausea, etc.) You also have to list your itinerary for the next 7-days while you're in China, and write down your flight info & seat number.

Second, when the plane lands, it's automatically placed "on hold" by health authorities. You have to remain seated until health officials can board the plane. Once onboard they will do temperature spot-checks using a laser-thermometer (which is just a close-range infrared thermometer with a laser pointer attached.)

Sometimes they check everyone's temperature, sometimes they only check every 3rd or 5th person, etc. Sometimes they get on the plane, look around, and walk right back out without checking anyone. While all this is happening passengers are supposed to remain seated at their original seat.

After the checks, if no one has a fever the health authorities will "release" the plane and only then the passengers can get out from their seat and deplane.

Third, as you walk towards immigration / customs area you'll pass one or more "checkpoints". These have infrared cameras, where you can see your temperature as a thermogram on a computer monitor. Usually they'll setup one checkpoint where everyone deplanes, and another checkpoint for passengers remaining domestically.

Fourth, you'll enter an area where you're supposed to hand-in your health questionnaire from Step 1 above. They'll double-check your answers and observe you for symptoms. You're also supposed to turn yourself in if you develop symptoms within 7-days.

I believe the standard is to quarantine all passengers sitting within 3 rows of anyone suspected of H1N1.

Does any of this make any medical sense? I have no idea... but the government obviously wants to be seen as "doing something".

[blink]

I got an email from BNU yesterday notifying me that they have a new self-quarantine policy for the first 7 days after arriving in China. Students also have to fill out a temperature record form twice each day and turn it in during registration (which is now a week later). You can check out the BNU notice here.

I don't know if any other schools will be doing the same but heads up to anyone heading to Beijing this fall...