Mexico City’s economy is plummeting. All restaurants are closed. Tourist attractions, like museums and the pyramids, are shut down. Tourism revenue has fallen 80% since the flu hit. Cuba has cancelled all flights to and from Mexico because of the virus. On Tuesday, Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian cancelled all stops at Mexican ports. The economic impact of the swine flu impact is around 100 million dollars a day according to yesterday’s Global Health segment from NPR (podcast linked to in the first sentence). It could get a lot worse. Swine flu has certainly had a bigger impact on Mexico’s tourism than has the drug violence.
Things aren’t as bad in San Miguel, although they are quiet and the economy is getting a few blows as well. Many folks wear masks. Some have even started wearing gloves. Schools are closed until May 6th. All public gatherings have been cancelled including mass and festivities for Santa Cruz. The government has imposed closings of bars, clubs, and gyms. Currently circulating rumors–of which there are many–claim that restaurants will be next as in D.F. President Caldron is urging everyone to stay at home from 1-5 May.
I am keeping level headed about all of this and trying not to get sucked into the flu scare or the rumor mill. We’ll know more after May 6th once things return to normal, or if security measures increase. Meanwhile, I wash my hands a lot and keep wishing Season 2 of HBO’s Capadocia was on DVD.
