Let’s make frog soup

So the French came up with the stupid idea that all flights to Mexico from the European Union should be banned to help curb the spread of swine flu.

Of course all European airlines reacted angrily to this and I join them happily in their revolt against the French request. No, really. Can someone explain to me how exactly imposing such a ban will help stop something that has already spread globally?

Have they not stopped to think for one minute that such a move would leave thousands of European tourists stranded in Mexico? Or are they stupid enough to think that any serious airline in the world would agree to having transatlantic flights with empty aircrafts just to bring back passengers?

I ignore how many Mexicans live in Europe [and how many Europeans live in Mexico], but I assume that we are well into the hundreds of thousands. And believe me; not one single one of us would like to learn that there is no way to reach Mexico and our loved ones in case of need, just because some Bachelot frog woman says so.

Fortunately, EU Health Commissioner, Cypriot Andrulla Vassiliou, said no to the French proposal for a Europe-wide ban and left each member country to impose its own restrictions.

About the only thing Mrs Vassiliou has done right so far, considering that Cyprus’ pharmacies are out of stock of Tamiflu, while we are being reassured by the EU Commission and the Cyprus government that the whole of the European Union is ready for a health emergency.

And last time I checked, Cyprus was part of the EU.