Gripe Porcina

Guatemala has not been immune to the worldwide Influenza A panic. To the contrary, it seems to have embraced it.

At last count there were some 120 confirmed cases of the flu in the country. Due to this “high number,” the Ministry of Education has suspended school for 15 days, public events and gatherings have been cancelled or postponed (including the Cobán half marathon), and government officials have asked people to stay in their homes. Soccer matches are excluded from the restrictions, because they occur in “open air”…and their cancellation could lead to civil unrest.

But it’s just the flu.

When gripe porcina (or “gripe de coche” as it is sometimes called here) was first discovered and thought to be dangerous, Peace Corps put us on alert and sent us instructions to prepare to “shelter-in-place.” We were to begin to stockpile food, water, medicine, and other necessary supplies sufficient enough to be able to quarantine ourselves in our homes for a week or two should the flu reach our communities. I bought a lot of Coke Light.

As the Guatemalan government has scrambled to obtain units of Tamiflu, the drug used to treat Influenza A, I have my own supply of the medicine safely tucked away in my medical kit. Due to the avian flu scare back in 2005, Peace Corps began issuing a package to Tamiflu to each volunteer. During training the medical officer (PCMO) explained the use of all the contents of our med kits (including a plastic emergency whistle). Since Tamiflu runs at over $100 per package, we were told to never use it unless we had explicit authorization from the PCMO. We actually have to present our unused Tamiflu to be able to leave the country at the end of our service. I am not quite sure what the consequence is of losing or using the Tamiflu without permission, but I imagine it probably involves indentured servitude to Peace Corps or having the cost of the medicine deducted from our readjustment allowance.

I am interested to see what is going to happen when they open the schools back up again at the beginning of July. It is certain that the number of cases in the country will only have risen between now and then. Is the Ministry of Education just going to cancel classes again? I know prevention is important, but so is education. The kids here already missed a week of school due to the teacher games and now two more are going to be lost because of the swine flu.

And once again, it’s just the flu.