Narine

Hallo!!!!
I have to have a short trip to New York from Washington DC on May 31st or June 4th. I have heared from news that the situation is very serious in NY, and it is not advised to visit NY.
Please I need an advise, do I need to cancel the trip (it is a business trip, not for a pleasure, I will arrrive NY at 11am, and will leave probably on 5pm)
Thanks in advance

artsbabe

Don't cancel your trip.

annesherrod

Just follow the usual precautions.

doug_stallings

I'm not sure who told you that it's not advisable to visit New York. There is no such warning. Use reasonable precautions (such as frequent hand washing and hand sanitizer, and don't touch your face a lot) and you will be fine. Virtually all the cases of H1N1 in NYC are associated with schools, and not schools in Manhattan.

kelliebellie

Not to freak you out, just to put things in perspective, but of all the ways you could possibly die by visiting New York (or anywhere) swine flu has to be near the bottom of the list.

Looking at the accidental death statistics in the US shows that 755 people died in 2000 by choking on food. But we still eat. Don't let the media ruin a nice time for you in New York. Have fun!

Dohlice

Wash your hands. People aren't dropping in the streets here.

fourfortravel

My daughter and I just spent a long weekend in NYC and honestly, the conditions of the restrooms at Penn Station concerned us more than swine flu. We just made an extra effort to wash our hands well or use hand sanitizer.

Austin

Which news company was reporting that? I haven't heard that at all. I just got back from a week in NYC and everything seemed normal to me, except for one man I saw with a surgical mask on. Like others say, there are so many other things that one can worry about.Go.

Dayenu

Kellie

nytraveler

This is one of the silliest things I have ever heard.

Swine flu is quite innocuous unless you have significant underlying medical problems (the only 2 people who died in the US did so). And the number of people who have contracted it is miniscule compared to the 20 million who live in the NYC metro area.

doug_stallings

Jane Brody wrote an interesting article about the role of irrational fear and illness in today's NY Times. Here's a link: http://tinyurl.com/o83xqb

sf7307

Seriously, are you sure you shouldn't just stay home? And what happens if someone gets a case of swine flu in DC? I'm sorry, but this is absurd.

Narine

Thank You all!!!
Your comments were very helpful, and I have decided to not cancel the trip, and just be careful.
I have a meeting in NY, and after the meeting I am planning to take a short sightseeind tour on bus. (I have find some companies that offer such trips)
As this is my first trip to US, I will post a travel review after my trip about DC and NY

kelliebellie

Interesting article Doug. I think the panic comes for learning about new ways to die. We've become somewhat comfortable about the old ways that will get us, but I think it takes awhile to not panic about new things.

Welcome to the US Narine! I think everyone has concerns and fears about traveling. Before our last trip to Europe I made sure my will was updated. But I can actually guarantee you that you will not contract swine flu while visiting New York.

gb944

I wouldn't get on a bus with Joe Biden!

doug_stallings

Narine, I really wouldn't bother with the bus tour if you only have 3 or 4 hours total to spend in NY after your meeting. Rather, I'd pick a single tourist attraction within walking distance of your meeting and go visit it. That way you'll get a little taste of city life and will get to do something fun. My idea of fun is not to spend 3 hours stuck in traffic on one of those dreadful double-decker buses.

darby00

My wife and I returned from 5 days in NYC last week, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me in Manhattan. This whole swine flu "panic" seems strange to me. Go to NYC, stay as long as you can, and have a great time!!! No worries.

On a funny note, the only "evidence" of swine flu we saw the entire trip was on our little commuter plane from Memphis to Greenville, MS, as a guy had on a mask from the time we saw him in the terminal in Memphis until he left Greenville after picking up his luggage. That was a curious sight indeed.

bellastarr

What is the general area of your hotel? Perhaps Fodorites can come up with some suggestions of things to see instead nearby instead of riding on a bus.

There are going to be major changes in traffic around Times Square (they are closing Broadway and Herald Square to cars) which are due to begin this coming week, and traffic will be a challenge (translate: CHAOTIC) for awhile during the readjustment phase. (translate: lots of confusion and irritated cabbies).

Do follow Doug's good advice- there's much to see and do here without getting on the doubledecker.

Don't worry about the swine flu. Just wash your hands alot (good practice anyway). The problems we are having are in some of the schools and we are working through them. Most of us are walking around and being lively as usual!

nytraveler

The news now reports that one of the deaths attributed to swine flu was actually caused by something else. So, there is now one death (an assistant principal with underlying health problems who worked at a school with a lot of cases). The chance of your being exposed is close to nil - and is you wash your hands regularly you most likely wouldn't catch it. Even if you did (1 in a million) it's just the flu - and apparently not a very severe flu at that. Millions of people get it every winter, all with no long-term effect unless they're immunocompromised.

ac291

we are heading to NY in 4mnths time so are a little worried but
dont forget the media grab a story and run with it - in a few months im sure they wont even be talking about it...more people die from a regular cold/flu each year...having said that just be careful, wash your hands often etc

are people wearing masks in the street?