I remember holidays. Still have nightmares. Too much touching, too much kissing.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to these things with the right person, but you gotta understand my grandma...she would come at you like a lion stalking a gazelle. You could see her eyes darting about the room looking for a small vulnerable child that still had not gotten a lipstick smear across their face... and the smell...oh the smell. Grandma smoked and ate circus peanuts. She was caked in Noxema.
Nobody was safe.
For the next month, we will be stalked by over-hugging uncles, kissing grandmas and coughing grandpas. If that is not bad enough, there are the younger ones... cousins, nieces, nephews all with runny noses. Try not to forget the one aunt that seems to forget all etiquette after she has had too much eggnog...ugh!
A lot of touching. A lot of kissing.
The failure of a single piece of computer gear in Utah disrupted travel for thousands last Thursday. It was the second time in 15 months that we have had a problem like this and the nation focused briefly on the critical need to upgrade the antiquated system. This past Thursday’s situation took 4 hours to resolve, yet following that 4 hours, flights had to be rescheduled, plans were changed, and airports were full of people for hours that originally had no intention of staying in the terminals that long.
It brings up a glimpse of this week’s travel, which traditionally, with or without a gliche in the system is wrought with delays and crowded airports because of holiday travel. For the next month, thousands upon thousands will take that “once a year” flight to visit relations and spend vacation time together.
Weather will also begin to play a role in airport delays and crowded airports as the winter season begins to dump snow on much of the country.
On Friday I spoke at a conference on H1N1 and infectious disease control and we used the scenario of holiday flight to address awareness and preparedness issues. Before you finish packing that old carpet bag and head out of town, let’s look at what we came up with:
Last Thursday, in the middle of a declared pandemic, we stranded travelers in airports all over the country for hours crowding terminals for much of the day. Once the planes began to catch up with the day’s schedule, we took these people and placed them in metal containers for an average of two hours each practically sitting on top of each other and sent them to different cities.
Those people are presently going about their lives, having meetings, renting cars, shaking hands and kissing relatives.
This week, another batch, much larger than last Thursday’s group, will be gathering once again in airport terminals across the country. These people will experience delays, long lines and close quarters in packed terminals and packed airplanes. Do not forget packed restrooms, packed cafes and restaurants and taxi cabs.
Finally, they will arrive at your house. You will greet them at the door, hug and kiss and shake hands inviting them in to sit with the rest of the family that has missed them all year. The house will be warm from a day of cooking turkey, stuffing and potatoes…the children, now accompanied by cousins will fill every bedroom and playroom of the house. Grandpa will take his place in the living room and the rest of the family will fill the room around him.
The next day, mom, grandma and maybe even some of the little girls will awake at 4 am despite the active day before and they will all jump in the car and head to the stores for the busiest shopping day of the year. The stores will be packed. The lines will long. Cafes and Restaurants will be almost impassible. The day of bargain shopping will finally end and everyone will return back home for a weekend of family and football games, cuddling and sharing good times.
Alas, the Thanksgiving weekend will end and we will all stand in the doorway or at the drop-off lane at the airport and kiss our relatives goodbye. Hugs, kisses and tears will send our loved ones off to a crowded airport and crowded plane. They will be back in a few short weeks but we still hate to say goodbye…
Yes, this is how it is every year. Nothing ever changes except for this year. Go back to the beginning of our story and add one element…the flight attendant that will be working grandma’s flight this week took care of a little boy last Thursday that had H1N1 and has not been feeling very well this morning. She cannot wait for the week to end, her husband has been sick for two days and one of her children is home today not feeling well either.
"Oh well, one last flight and I can take the rest of the week off" she thinks to herself as she gets a small pillow for grandma and the plane taxis down the runway...
Will you be more aware this next week?
Visit http://www.cdc.gov/H1N1FLU/ for ways to protect yourself during your “people filled” holiday.
