Does anyone know what happens if you get the flu while traveling in Spain? Is healthcare more readily available in some places rather than others? Is anyone thinking of postponing a trip because of the possibility of a pandemic?

Just wondering what others are thinking!

Healthcare is excellent here. Please do not cancel your trip .

Well, the virus speaks only Spanish. For that reason, he's only allowed to infect native speakers or people that understand basic Spanish. You're not at risk, if you only speak English or claim not to understand a single work of Spanish!

I think it is like most countries -- medical care is more readily available in urban areas than rural.

There are just as many or more cases in the US than in Spain, of course, but traveling does put you at greater risk than staying at home, I agree (just in terms of contact with others). I don't have a vacation planned in the next month or two, so can wait to see how this shakes out in terms of cases and spreading. At this point, I wouldn't personally cancel a trip to somewhere that doesn't have any more cases than the US, although I know you are exposed to a variety of travelers in transit and you never know who you are sitting next to (like that bozo from the US who traveled to Italy on his honeymoon with some bad disease, I forget what it was -- plague? probably not).

Pandemics can take a long time, just read a book on the history of the Spanish flu: The Great Influenza by John Barry, which is excellent. That one lasted about a year, as I recall.

There may come a time when I decide not to travel anywhere where there have been MANY deaths, but at this point, except for parts of Mexico, I would go about anywhere.

This is going to be going on for quite awhile, it seems.

Thanks logos999--now I wish that I had not spent the last 6 months studying Spanish!! Darn it.

I would love to just ignore this issue, but Spain seems more vulnerable (because of more flights to Mexico) than some other countries. Obviously there will probably be more exposure in the U.S., but I at least know where to go to get treatment here. Our flight leaves a week from Monday for 36 days in Spain, and we had decided to be brave and travel places where we would need to speak Spanish, trying to get off the heavily touristed path. While there is always the possibility of getting sick and having to communicate about things hard enough to explain in English, there comes a point where the possibility is so high that you are just asking for it. And traveling is sufficiently stressful that one's immune system is more susceptible to failing.

We have spent so much time preparing for this trip, and we are so very, very excited that I can't imagine that we'll cancel, but I'm just worried that we won't know how extensive this problem is before we have to leave. Sorry if I sound like a wet blanket.

I wouldn't give it a second thought and I would definitely not cancel. You cannot worry about everything that can possibly go wrong on a trip, flu or no flu. Just go and enjoy your trip.

Personally this is becoming funny!

So far about 150 people are THOUGHT to have died from the Swine flu. And we have an paniced poster canceling thinking of canceling thier trip?

Why? Do you know who MANY people dies LAST flu season from the NON-Swine flu? LOTS LOTS MORE. And that didn't stop you from planning the trip did it? In truth you were in a lot of danger ALL year. But since CNN didn't report it, it wasn't an issue.

CNN is NOW reporting on the past flu season. 36,000 DIED in the US alone So....

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/28...flu/index.html


The only thing you can do to protect yourself is LOCK yourself in your home. That means don't go to work, don't go to the store, don't go ANYWHERE. In that case probably NO germs will get you. But is that living?

By the way I leave 5/9 for Spain and Portugal. No second thoughts....

Thanks for your reply, CaroleA, and I'm sorry that you think I'm being ridiculous. I think that there is a difference between a situation of normal flu season and a pandemic, but I might be wrong about that. I wrote to get a sense of what others were thinking, and I'm happy to hear all sides. Thanks.

The difference right now is that a LOT more people have died from the regular flu. And we didn't change our plans then. We have a MEDIA frenzy. It's intersting that the cases reported outside of Mexico are reported as "weaker" then those in Mexico...

Based on what I have read right now (and I work in health care) I would not change any plans except MAYBE a trip to Mexico City. (Not sure about that, but... I would think about it)

Annie where do you live? Your profile does not say
Are you living in USA or Canada?

Or are you in Europe?

I know that at least those of us in USA are at a much higher risk I think than Spain for sure.

I would go and not think about it.
Always be diligent about hand washing no matter where you go, flu or no flu.

I think I'd only worry about it if you are elderly, are taking small children with you, or if you have a compromised immune system or a serious medical condition.

Medical care may be less accessible in rural areas, but I would think the virus is less prevalent outside the big cities.

If it would make you feel better prepared, you could buy medical evacuation insurance. At a minimum, it provides you with English-speaking health professionals by phone 24/7. I've used this company a few times:

www.medjetassist.com

I am clearly more risk averse than CaroleA, since I would most likely change a trip to Mexico City. But I'm glad to know that someone who works in health care sees no significant difference between a normal flu season and a pandemic.

I live in the USA, amsdon, and am therefore at a much higher risk than I will be when in Spain. However when I'm home, I always have a place to sleep and I know where to go to get treated if I get sick. The same is not true when I'm in Spain.

This thread has been very helpful, thanks to all. My traveling partner had been leaning strongly towards changing our trip, and while I'm less risk averse than he is, I could see the point of his worries. But once I shared the responses from this thread, he recovered his perspective. Unless things change drastically, we'll still be going to Spain is just 13 days!

Thanks to all who responded!

Great that is wonderful 13 days.

I do understand your point about being in a familiar area if you get sick. Bu I believe we have waaay more people coming & going here in USA from Mexico than anywhere else, and so many of those working in food prep. Chances in Spain are much less.

Tamiflu is working great, so you infected people in Mexico, you don't have any money for expensive drugs: "Too bad for you"....

And all those hoping for further spreading buy some "Roche" CH0012032113.

To all the rest: "You people are not going to die from swine flu"

I can't imagine someone saying they wouldn't change a trip to Mexico, so wouldn't follow their advice. First, even if you think you are somehow immune from catching the flu from others, everything in shut down pretty much in Mexico City, museums, schools, etc., so I can't imagine what someone thinks they would do there.

I do think you are greater risk when traveling than staying at home, you are amongst more people, and some of those people may be traveling from Mexico, you don't know. If I don't travel and just stay at home and go to/from school my probability of encountering such people is very low. There are not very many Mexicans where I live, it's not a common immigrant group here.

I fly to Madrid on May 9, and my only concern is needing to find a good doctor if I get sick while in Spain - which is always the issue when you travel. I feel that I will be at no more risk there than here in New Jersey. There is always a chance of catching something on the plane but that is also par for the course. I would not travel to Mexico however.

A friend of mine is plannning a trip to Cancun in July and he says he will not change his plans. So far there have been no reports of swine flu from that part of Mexico, however there are many reports from our part of the US. Unless this situation changes I support his decision to go.

This is one of those things I refuse to worry about. I understand your concern, so take appropriate precausions (wash your hands, do not constantly rub your face, etc), but do go on with your life! You planned your trip not knowing if you would be ill, or fell and broke a leg (God forbid) the day before boarding that plane, so why worry now?
I say go and enjoy yourself!!!
DH and I just came back from Spain yesterday, and three girls seated across the aisle from us put on masks as we landed in NY. I guess they felt the US is more worrisome than Spain.