《泰晤士報》是這樣報導香港政府如何隔離那些跟那一個墨西哥人住進同一間酒店的人﹕

「Hong Kong police wearing face masks blocked access to a hotel where 300 people are quarantined after the arrival of a Mexican visitor infected with the swine flu virus.

...

Health officials and security officers dressed entirely in plastic overalls and masks emptied rubbish from the fotel and brought in supplies to the guests.

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Kevin Ireland, an Indian buying-agent, said:"We have had one Korean who was screaming and shouting and an English couple who were very upset. On Saturday a masked female guest broke down and had to be comforted by a health worker.

With dozens of journalists camped outside, officials have now pasted up sheets of paper over the lobby windows to try to shield guests from onlookers. However, guest could be seen through doors. All wore face masks.

...」

當然﹐大家可以說又是一個西方社會抹黑回歸後的香港的例子。因為字裡行間不斷滲出取笑的味道。雖然我其實有點明白背後的原因﹐畢竟﹐我還記得零三年SARS在香港爆發﹐也是從一個染病客人在酒店傳開來﹐不過﹐一邊讀著這篇報導﹐一邊看著酒店住客的照片﹐實在不得不教人發笑。

我不敢說﹐香港政府這一次做法有點誇張。只是﹐讀著TOBY YOUNG在《觀察家》雜誌裡面的一段文字﹐我也有點替香港人感到汗顏。中國人的確沒有西方人那一種冒險精神。當然﹐大家可以說那又是一個典型的西方人無知愚笨的例子。

那位雜誌編輯在談論在豬流感肆虐的時候﹐是否還該乘飛機到拉絲維嘉絲見一見住在墨西哥城的朋友。他的結論為﹕

「A life circumscribed by the precautionary principle would not be worth living. We should no more change our behavior in response to swine flu than we should stop our shildren from playing outside for fear that some harm may come to them, Elf and safety inevitably leads to a life pinched and hidebond timidity. So I've made my decision. I'm going to Vegas.」