Thanks to Swine Flu, I was reminded of how small the world really is. What was once a piece of distant news for me in Canada has now become a very real part of my life. Argentina is now the country with the second highest number of swine flu-related deaths and the city of Buenos Aires has been noticeably affected. All theathres, shows, and events have been cancelled or postponed; all schools from primary to university level have been temporarily closed; and last Friday we even got the day off work because it was declared a "santary holiday"!

Besides people walking around in face masks and the general population developing a mild obsession with hand sanitizing gel, life for me has more or less continued as per usual. I wonder, however, whether the same can be said for those living in the city's ghettos, who are likely more at risk of being affected by the outbreak. Malnutrition, cramped living conditions, and lack of adequate sanitation or health care services in certain areas of the city would all contribute to this increased vulnerability.

Needless to say, I hope the government is taking into account all relevant factors when dealing with this epidemic...