New Yorkers resist swine flu panic, for now

NEW YORK, USA – America’s first death from the swine virus wasn’t American. A Mexican toddler just under the age of two died at a hospital in Houston after travelling to Texas with his family to visit relatives.

And so with 91 cases in 10 states, President Obama’s facing his first potential health crisis on this, his hundredth day in office – one mistake and it could damage him politically, as Hurricane Katrina did his predecessor.

Yet what can he say? “Keep your hands washed,” he said at the White House this morning, advising Americans in the basic etiquette of covering your mouth when you cough.

California has declared a state of emergency as a precautionary move, but New York is reporting America’s biggest outbreak – 51 cases so far. An autistic school in the city’s Queen’s district has reported that 80 children are sick and it is surely no coincidence that it is just down the road from St Francis Prep.

That’s where hundreds fell ill last week after a group of students returned from holiday in the Mexican resort of Cancun. But the statue of St Francis on the lawn outside appears to be protecting them – the symptoms are mild and responding to antiviral treatment.

Health officials here say this virus could do one of two things. Either it could fizzle out, or it could mutate and spread, proving far more dangerous here in America than it has so far.

Tamiflu tablets are subduing the HIN1 virus in its current form and 12 million packets are being shipped to states in need. But the president’s requested $1.5bn from Congress to develop a vaccine as well. Just to be safe.

Though it may be too early to say whether the threat warrants the expense. We just don’t know what this flu strain is really capable of yet. And anyway 600 million shots for 300 million Americans – that’s two doses each – may not be ready till November at the very earliest.

The US pork industry doesn’t want it called swine flu at all – pointing out that you don’t catch it from eating meat. And it’s angry that several countries have banned American pork.

I haven’t seen a single mouth mask on the streets of New York this morning and a crisis on the scale of September 11th this is clearly not.

So for now New Yorkers are keeping their Woody Allen hypochondria in check. After all 35,000 Americans die from different strains of flu each year, as it is, 2,000 or so in this city alone, only we rarely report it.