Image Courtesy: World Health Organization(WHO)
As I walk into the immigration area at Shenzen, China enroute to Guangzhou from Hong Kong, a uniformed officer flicks away as a matter of obvious routine from my passport folds, my self declaration of having no illness in the last many days. Upon filling in the ‘Arrival’ form I am asked to step aside by another uniformed officer with a laser gun pointed at my forehead. I am then directed with a side wards nod of his uniform cap adorned head to move on to the counters for the visa stamping. That was a temperature check to identify if I was a carrier of the Flu of the piggy variety. I breathe a sigh of relief that I wasn’t asked to step aside to be quarantined. I did not have any flu nor did i have any issues with being medically treated for it, but worried for the compulsory quarantine for months if I was a suspect case of some sort. It doesn’t matter even if you are a high ranking diplomat of the mightiest of nations. The writing on the wall cannot be clearer. Swine flu suspect will be quarantined.The rest of the world seems to have reduced the tempo of the Mexican wave of swine flu but the middle kingdom is relentless in its pursuit for excellence in flu prevention via quarantine. I travelled to HK and was never checked for any flu symptoms nor was I asked to fill in a self declaration. I have travelled to many countries in Asia and the Americas since the flu broke out the same time the recession broke out and have never seen anyone taking such great precautions to prevent Flu carriers from entering their boundaries. If these weren’t enough, the flight attendants in the flights bound for Middle Kingdom are also armed with laser guns that detect carriers. These are pointed at will at passengers while on the flight so that carriers can be detected and quarantined before setting foot on the Kingdom’s soil.
For those who don’t know it yet – here are some quips doing the rounds in this part of the world:
The Kingdom is the largest consumer of pork and the largest exporter of it too.
Eating swine(pork) has nothing to do with the swine flu.
Posts
Discovered your blog !! HK too had this check until very recently when they have stopped it, thankfully. Of course Zhongguo will carry on - they were bitten by criticism from SARS and they have no intention of relenting. I wonder what they do with the million forms they receive every day - where do they file it ??
ReplyDeleteNice blog. Keep writing ....
@Ramesh - Thankyou for visiting and sharing your views. Your blog has inspired me to start this and I hope to continue writing some of my wonderful experiences from China while I am still an Induren in zhongguo.
ReplyDeleteThe Zhongguoren are certainly being careful and seem to have succeeded in containing the dreaded virus compared to how we have managed it back home. The gun(the laser one) seems to be a great tool combined with the great 'form' ;-)