ETOA: Responding to swine flu ‘seems to pander to stupidity’

The European Tour Operators Association has said ever since Dr Margaret Chan, the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), raised the pandemic alert on the H1N1 virus (swine flu) to Level Five

The European Tour Operators Association has said ever since Dr Margaret Chan, the director of the World Health Organization (WHO), raised the pandemic alert on the H1N1 virus (swine flu) to Level Five, worldwide concern has been expressed at the possibility of a rampant disease cutting down individuals on every continent.

“The early stages of any epidemic are characterized by ignorance as to what is happening: predictions are uncertain and naturally prone to morbid exaggeration. Governments have to plan for the worst. The press has to attract attention with sensational projections of doom. When no-one knows enough, everyone is free to imagine the worst,” ETOA said.

The London-based tourism organization added, we are already reaching the stage where governments have threatened irrational reactions. This has included the killing of pigs, (a bizarre act of โ€œspecies cleansingโ€) the issuing of a travel advisories against most of Europe and numerous proposed bans on travel to Mexico. Even the WHO has pointed out that such measures are futile. When their governments start to counter imaginary threats, travelers follow suit.

“Whatever the threats of a ‘pandemic’ pose to the world, currently the risk posed to potential travelers within Europe is nil. Even were the disease to become far more deadly and virulent than currently proved, death from H1N1 swine flu is less likely than death by falling trees, bee stings, snake bites, lightening strikes or a wide variety of bizarre modes of fatality. Even if it is not contained, it seems to be respond to treatment and is not as deadly as first suggested. It is far less of a threat to life than existing endemic flu strains.”

Responding to this โ€œthreatโ€ seems to pander to stupidity, ETOA added. “But from the clientsโ€™ view, the concern is genuine. And the travel industry has to react to clientsโ€™ concerns, however ill-founded. ETOA members are agreeing on a list of measures that can be adopted by operators to re-assure people that everything is being done to minimize a minimal risk.”

Tom Jenkins, executive director of ETOA, said: โ€œThis is like wrestling with blancmange: there is nothing to grab. If no threat is posed, telling people that โ€œno threat existsโ€ automatically raises suspicions. As travelers in Europe, people are ridiculously safe from being harmed by the H1N1 virus.โ€

โ€œYet the threat to the travel industry is real. Comparatively spurious threats to individuals can trigger a mass response. In 2001 the foot and mouth crisis posed no threat to anyone traveling in the UK. Yet demand for holidays in the UK dropped sharply. After September 11th it was ludicrously safe to fly, but planes flew empty. SARS was largely restricted to a affected 0.0002 percent of the population of Asia, yet travel in that region dropped by 40 percent. There is a pattern of disproportionate damage.โ€

โ€œSo we have to declare the industries comparative safety and our determination to ensure that our clients remain safe from this virus.โ€

ETOAโ€™s assertion is that the use of face masks should be avoided. If someone is ill, then a mask may help prevent them spreading disease. If used incorrectly (such as removed when sneezing) they are worse than useless. And if someone is ill, then they ought to be in bed. The use of masks does nothing to protect the wearer. It creates a false sense of security and needlessly generates a sense of crisis.

ETOA has issued the below recommendations for tours operators:
– When coaches are used, they should to be vacuumed and cleaned with anti-bacterial agent daily.
– Ensure air conditioning filtration systems are cleaned
regularly
– On request from clients, supply antiseptic gels or wipes
– Remind clients of good hygiene procedures
– Where necessary, supply a bin for disposal of tissues
– Ensure that the usual procedures on isolating sick clients
are followed
– Ensure clients have adequate medical insurance.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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