What started as a killer swine/bird/human mystery flu in Mexico city last week and spreading first throughout the nation, then the continent, and now globe is slowly beginning to ebb.

Mexico City was first to suspend all schools, museums, and public events last Friday. By Sunday as the virus widened it’s demographic attack, all schools, public and private, from daycare thru University were suspended nationwide.

Sunday evening my Northern state went on alert. The same moment the alert was announced, although no infections had been cited, I went on a mad dash to our town’s 24 hour pharmacy. It was chaos. Hundreds of people where running from store to store searching for face masks, antivirals, antibacterial gels, soaps, wipes, alcohol, vitamins A and C; in short, anything which might prevent our imminent death. We all walked away empty handed as even Peroxide and over the counter flu medications such as Theraflu tea had been sold out hours before.

On Monday, all bus terminals and airports had Health inspectors checking all incoming and outgoing passengers.The first suspected death in my state was announced along with hundreds of suspected Swine Flu cases, thousands had fallen ill across the nation, overnight. My wife and I, athough not panicking, chose to call the gas company for more gas for our home and buy some extra groceries, just in case.

Our town’s grocery store looked like something straight out of a movie. Hundreds of masked people crowded into a small store, carts piled high with canned goods, kilos of beans and rice, cleaning products, pastas, non-perishable juices and milk, cereal, baby food, bottled water, and disposable plates, utensils, and cups. What little was left in the store was scattered haphazardly across near empty shelves. It seemed, crazy as it may sound, the world was ending.

By Tuesday parks, pools, cinemas, malls, many restaurants, bars, and government offices had closed as well. Thousands of suspected cases had pooped up across the nation. It seemed we had gone from bad to worse.

Wednesday individual states began putting Health inspections along their individual borders. The U.S.-Mexico borders were open, but running strict, binational health inspections; those withsymptoms were sent directly to the Health Department. Many airports in Mexico added remote infrared termometers to their passenger gates in efforts of stricter monitoring of all passengers.

Thursday President Calderon, with a much awaited 4 day holiday beginning, urged all citizens to remain in their homes and imposed a nationwide suspension of all “non-essential labor”.

Friday, April 30th, was Children’s day as well as payday for the majority of the population. There were none of the clowns, parades, and festivities that ususally mark this day for our children. My wife and I took our pay to buy some groceries to continue our Influenza lockdown. We were pleasently surprised to see the store was restocked and void of the panic and desperation. Things seemed oddly normal; people chatted and joked with one another. The only difference is everyone is wearing a face mask, many wear gloves, and no one dare touch another.

Today is Saturday. The virus, now known as Influenza A/H1N1 seems to be letting up, but we are far from being in the clear as new suspected cases continue and two additional deaths have been noted.

For the most part, society seems to have incorporated constant antibacterial cleansings, face masks, and other preventative measures into our not so ordinary daily life. Do not misunderstand me, fear of the unknown still consumes the nation, but life is slowly being lived again.