Swine Flu

Posted on 25 October 2009.

Across China millions of children and students are having their temperatures checked each day as they enter school buildings. It has become a regular sight to see friends and relatives shouting at one another through iron gates as tens of thousands of college students have been trapped by campus lockdowns, prohibited from leaving their campuses for weeks at a time.

Health campaigns call on everyone to wash their hands regularly and sneeze into their sleeves, rather than their hands. It is all part of the battle to try and halt the spread of swine flu.

As health minister Chen Zhu announced the start of a vaccination programme in September, he reported that the country was facing "a grim situation" as it tries to contain a rapid increase in swine flu cases.

The public security ministry also warned police to be on guard against "any threats to public order linked to the spread of the H1N1 strain of flu, including the spread of rumours and price-gouging for drugs" and demanded that, "all security organs pay great attention to the possible effects on social stability from the virus and work hard at stopping the virus and maintaining stability" (Reuters).

At first, the focus had been on keeping swine flu out of the country, with strict border controls and quarantine for anyone entering the country with a raised temperature or coming into contact with a swine flu patient. But as schools reopened in early September, outbreaks of flu surged.

Authorities had reported around 16,000 confirmed cases of swine flu by early October, but many minor cases are presumed to go undetected. Thankfully, at the time of writing, no one with the flu was known to have died.

Pray against the spread of swine flu in China. Pray that people might take notice of the health campaigns and do what they can to halt further transmission of the flu. Pray too that the ongoing vaccination programme might have a positive impact in stopping the flu's spread.

Pray that any cases of swine flu might be caught early, so the patient can be isolated from others and treated effectively.

Pray that in a time of understandable anxiety and concern, Christian believers might manifest the peace of the Lord. Pray for many opportunities to share of the God Who blesses us with such peace and hope.