When does one go from being the perfect traveler (as I used to be) to being the phlueeezzze-do-not-sneeze-cough-or-have-any-other-health-related-symptom-fellow-seatmate uptight anal traveler?
When do you go from: la-di-da I love planes to CRAP that guy in the row in front of us just blew his nose TWICE, TWWWWICE? When did I go from: I'll just read sit here in my (very small) seat and read my book quietly to HANG OOOON didn't that lady JUST go to the bathroom a minute ago, WHY is she going AGAIN?
I'LL TELL YOU! You become that traveler when you work with children day in and day out and have come to realize the power of a single sneeze, the power of a single, cute, but nonethless grubby boogery hand on the ball you are throwing back and forth, the power of a mild cough on the dollhouse you have chosen to use for playing.
YES! THAT is when it happens!!! Despite the fact that we get daily, DAILY e-mails warning workers and parents NOT to attend the hospital if you or your child is sick. Despite the fact that two years ago during the H1N1 epidemic we were fitted with special state of the art masks and DESPITE the not voluntary flu shot.
Seeing as how we go to such measures to prevent this kind of spread in the health care system why not try it on the travel industry. I can see a we-are-taking-your-temperature station right next to the homeland security X-ray machine. Walk right up, "let us place this in your ear: 37 C - go ahead sir/madam, you are good to go". "Next - 38 C - neeeeeeh! (cue bright lights, alarm and a big THIS TRAVELER MAY BE SICK sign) sorry sir/madam you cannot travel today"
We could also have a quick viral/bacterial/parasitic screen a la Star Trek. Beep de doo, beep de doo (or some other much cooler sound like ZIIIIINNNNGGGG) scanner with some kind of state of the art laser thingie. Scan, deduct personal non-pathogenic microbiome, find bad bugs and .... DONE!! Yes, you can travel or no, you are staying put.
Am I sounding too Aldous Huxley-ish? I probably am, but wouldn't that save us a lot of grief? Having spent that last two holidays and/or after holidays with either brutal GI and/or respiratory symptoms I support a world wide airport health surveillance system (sell that in Obamacare eh?).
Imagine, there would be no need for a Measles health alert at the Houston airport. We could have stopped the spead of HIV, Ebola (has that spread? excuse my ignorance), stop the spread of polio, TB, rubella, chicken pox, rotavirus, norovirus (you get the picture) plus the very worrisome swine, bird or whatever the animal du jour flu. We could in general make ME okay for all future holidays.
I say WELL worth the investment :))) d'accord?
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