Blue Chairs Beach. Photo by: Ed Walsh
We've all heard the news about the swine flu paralyzing Mexico City but should you be afraid to travel to the State of Jalisco which includes the cities of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara?
The English-language Guadalajara Reporter is reporting this weekend that health authorities have identified 18 people in Jalisco who could possibly be suffering from swine flu. Click here for that article. The paper also reports that one man from Nayarit was likely infected with the flu. Nayarit is the Mexican state on the central West Coast of the country, just north of Puerto Vallarta.
For the latest on the World Health Organization's response to the crisis, click here for an article by Sue Frause, the Seatte Travel Examiner.
Pam Thompson is a registered nurse who leads HealthCare Resources Puerto Vallarta, a healthcare resource network that serves Puerto Vallarta. She recently addressed the issue in an e-mail that was posted on Gary Beck's gay Puerto Vallarta Yahoo gay travel group.
Below is what she wrote. This was written before officials in Guadalajara disclosed that there may be as many as 18 people in Jalisco suffering from the flu. But those are only suspected, not confirmed cases. She has some very valuable advice on how to reduce your chances of becoming infected:
The phones and emails are coming fast and furious regarding the Swine Flu we are all hearing about. First, and very importantly, I am not a physician! But I do work with the best in Vallarta and I have spoken at length with several of them regarding everyone's questions and worries.
This is a summary of our conversations: There have been no reported cases in Jalisco as of this morning.
It is an air-borne virus. There is no vaccine at this time. If you had a flu shot this year, it does not cover this new strain. As in all flu strains, the highest risk population are young children, elderly, people with respiratory problems & low resistance.
Symptoms are a VERY high fever (39.C), severe body aches for 3-4 days. Should you experience these symptoms, go to a physician immediately. This can be treated with anti-viral medications in the first 72 hours.
What can be done to prevent being infected? Stay away from large crowds. Cover your mouth when you sneeze, cough (to avoid infecting others). WASH. WASH. WASH. WASH. WASH. I'd suggest purchasing the "gel" type of handwash that is available everywhere and wash as often as possible, especially after being in a public place, shaking hands, etc. Try to avoid touching your mouth, nose, eyes if you cannot wash your hands
Build up your immune system with fresh fruits with Vitamin C. Increase liquids. All of the above are pretty much common sense suggestions, that are used to prevent any type of infection. You are welcome to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am always available to contact a good physician should you need one. We think there is no need to panic about this. Just take proper precautions! !!
Thanks!
Pamela Thompson
You can contact Pam at:
pamela@healthcareresourcespv.com or by visiting HealthCareResourcesPV.com.
Of course, the swine flu is the last thing the Mexican tourist industry needs. Click here for my previous post on what a gay resort owner is doing to fight the misperception that Puerto Vallarta is unsafe.
For my post on what Puerto Vallarta's tourist board is doing to combat violence fears, click here.
For the US State Department's advice for visiting Puerto Vallarta, click here.
For my previous post on the great deals available in gay Puerto Vallarta, click here.
For my previous post on the rock-bottom fares to Puerto Vallarta, click here.
Comments
I would not travel to Mexico until this has calmed down. Period.
FYI. How's things?
Roberto
you would have to be stupid not to believe this flu is not in p.v., the hospital system in mexico city is horrible, you need to line up the day before to get an apointment with a doctor if you go to the civil hospital, which is the hospital atleast 50% of the lower class people would use, most would not even go, so if they have a thousand cases reported there are tens of thousands of unreported. not to mention 18 in jalisco. remember calderon is a smart person however the people in charge of government at a municipal level and state levels are not qualified people, they are people that would have a hard time passing a high school test in the states, so forget about looking to them for good advise, not to mention that these people don't care if poor people dye, when enough rich people or americans get sick the truth will come out, and there are no cases in p.v. becasue it would cost hundreds of millions in lost tourist dollars - all schools and public meetings in p.v. should be cancelled but chances are this will not happen until it is too late - and forget what Pam says, she just gets info after it has been passed through 20 mexican officals, she does not know whats going on and I think she is being very unresponsible giving americans false life or death information for the sake of local tourism - if she can not see this she is very uninformed on how this country really is - normally puerto vallarta is a little buddle of falseness, where everyone is happy and everything is good, and the countries problem don't usually apply here - unfortunity this flu will not stop at that bubble.
I have my wedding planned in Puerto Vallarta for the first week of June. Don't know what I should do???
You're all going to die! RUN!!!!!!
I'm scheduled to travel on May 2 through May 9th to PV...taking hubby, mom & two girls (13 & 4 yrs. old)...Not sure if I should cancel unrefundable tickets..so torn what should I do..my little one is prone to asthma bouts in U.S winters, wonder if this makes her any more likely to pick up something like this over there... this is a hard decision.
FYI: Puerto Vallarta has closed all of it's clubs and restaurants for at least a week. The police just went through, tonight, and evacuated the club we were in, and the whole city is closed. No kidding. I'm here until 5 May, and have no where to go in the evening, but am hoping the restaurants will remain open??? The police officer I spoke with said everything is closed for at least a week.
This sucks. I would not come here right now. Most airlines are waiving fees.
dan, thanks for the info.
will you let us know about the restaurants too? it must be too early for the media outlets to have really started reporting this in the states (i'm in michigan) - i haven't heard anything yet.
i did hear elsewhere though about the nightclubs too, but i heard restaurants are still open. we're heading there tomorrow... not looking to party really though so my friend and i think while this is serious yes, it may be overblown also. we will just be careful and clean.
besides - just heard it's not swine flu in jalisco on guadalajarareporter dot com (then type /content/view/24493/58/)
I live in PV and although the clubs have been closed as a precautionary measure, the restaurants are still open and everyone is still enjoying their holidays. Locals are still out & about and the GDL Reporter today announced that the suspected cases in Jalisco were NOT swine flu. It is contagious of course, but treateable, and those that unfortunately passed away did not get treatment soon enough and most already had pneumonia before going to the hospital.
Of course travellers are worried but PV is still lots of fun and no, we're not wearing surgical masks!
I just got a phone call that an amigo, a leading chef in the PV area said that restaurants are probably going to be ordered closed. Not sure which ones or all, maybe even the taco stands. Not sure. Will be watching closely and news will be repoted on my Yahoo groups. Schools are closed until 5/6. But no confirmed cases in Jalisco or Nayarit states. Suspected ones came back negative, so make sure you follow the honest sources and not get caught up in the hysteria. There are 40 cases in US and 6 in CAN. Precautions should be followed no matter what country you are in right now. Follow Pam's advise, please.
Thaks Krista- keep us posted - Im scheduled to leave May 2nd thru May 18th! I am determine dto go & have a great time - Just concerned as all are - I hope they dnt force us to cancel trip into PV as I know restrctions may be just to Mexico City
you guys are freaks. this is so overblown. i live in pv, and yea, school are closed, so it'll be nice not to work, but we're not all going to die you freaks!
I am really just hoping it fizzles... I am scheduled to leave for PV on Tuesday and i have 24 guests coming down for my wedding on May 9. I am praying at this point and watching the news. The airlines and hotels have offered free transfers and re-scheduling of the entire wedding and flights, but after planning for almost 2 yrs it will be such a shame to cancel....
Nah, c'mon Kristina, we're going when you are. The more the merrier. Sounds like it might be deserted a little... (tourists always ruin it for us)
This whole swine flu thing is way overblown. The U.S. reports over 30,000 flu deaths a year.
Just watch for symptoms; though I'm not altogether certain how we're supposed to distinguish between these symptoms and those from getting some bad water...?
Anyway, since the Jalisco cases were confirmed to NOT be swine flu; there is VERY little chance we'll run into any one infected in P.V.
Just be careful; and have a good time!
dumb question - so if the resturants close down, where can the tourists eat??? we're staying downtown, not in the big hotels.
My sister and I spent April3rd -17th in PV, she got sick on the 14th, is still sick and was just diagnosed with swine flu today the 27th in Santa Barbara. I feel fine, but my boyfriend has been sick for a couple days. At his work, the health and safety comission made him leave to go get tested-and not come back until...
mary.. not a dumb question. i was thinking the same thing, except we have a condo so we can prepare meals. i am sure pv has something worked out though, it is too huge of a tourist place not to have places for folks to eat.
w paris... sorry to hear that! that is not good! hmm.
i am committed to going to pv already, leaving in the morning. we are going to be SO careful.. thank you all for posting, i have been reading the internet all over, and this site (and article) were extremely helpful.
i am going to be chronicling our trip on my new blog.. strunny.wordpress.com, if anyone wants to follow. it's for friends & family who want to know how we are and how it is in pv, but also for anyone else who wants the perspective.
Kristina: your daughters asthma could increase her risk of catching the flu but much more importantly her asthma could cause complications making the illness much more severe should she develop it and may possibly worsen her asthma symptoms for the future. Most airlines are now willing to work with you on rescheduling. To all: keep in mind that you will be traveling through the PV airport, there may very well be passengers on transfers from other parts of mexico; of course if you are young and healthy your likelihood of developing life threatening symptoms is much lower but keep in mind all of the other people... parents, co-workers, children that you will be around when you return. We just returned from PV a week ago, hadn't even heard of swine flu before leaving, had this all come about before our trip I definitely would have rescheduled given my susceptibility to respiratory problems and the potential danger to elderly family members and co-workers on returning. It was absolutely a wonderful place to visit, I would highly recomend it... but given the current situation would reschedule.
ok so my boyfriend and i have tickets to go to PV for april 30th to go to the Royal Decameron resort.
Have there been any confirmed cases from the resort? Is it as likely to catch this from while at a resort? Like if we dont leave the resort??
have tickets to puerto vallarta leaving on the 7th of may. talked to my travel agent and she has nothing available with our tour operator for the days i could possibly leave. this sucks do i go or do i wait and reschedule for a later date which could be 7 months away?
I am leaving for PV on May 6th. Everyone is telling me to not go. I want to go so badly. Does anyone think that staying in the resort the whole time would be helpful? Also, wearing a mask on the plane maybe?
Im going to PV beg of june. I aint no bitch i aint scared.i already paid for my plane tickit. Maybe if i was a old turd ready to die i wouldnt go. Im gona go get drunk off my ass and party like theres no tommorow candy ass's? no cases of the flue in PV. Hopfully the clubs are open in june!
The U.S. is lying about the so called swin flue, for political reasons (as always, they need someone to blame) in order to save face. “50 people have contacted the swin flu and not one has dead in the U.S.?” In Mexico, 100 people have died? The U.S. has more or less about 35,000 cases of the flu deaths per year, way more than Mexico. Those people in Mexico have dead for a smart flu Bomb that kills only Mexicans and spares Americans? The people who are dying from the flu in the U.S., the Medical establishment for Embarrassment and blame, In order to save face and promote the lies will simply say “it was some other flu. Is this some type of intelligent test? "MAN ARE AMERECANS STUPID" do you think you’re kidding the world? You’re not. Mexico knows exactly what you doing; they have a long History of Americas stupidity and crap. I don’t care if it’s the lizard flu the American who died or dead
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