There will be no closing of borders

The outbreak of the H1N1 virus originated a great debate on which measures are needed to stop the spread of the virus. Closing the Mexico-U.S. border may look as an important action to take but the WHO and CDC have repeatedly stated that it is a costly step that wouldn't slow the spread of flu, as it would for example creating awareness that it is in each persons ability to stop the spread of the flu by following common personal sanitary measures.

The Mexico - U.S. border is the second-busiest border crossing in the world, not only for the number of people crossing everyday but also because of the commercial activity that both countries have. And since we live in a much interconnected world in which it is very easy to travel across the world, closing the border wouldn't stop the spread of the virus but only cause a lot of damage for the economy. President of the United States, Barack Obama agrees with health officials and said that closing the border would be akin to closing the barn door after the horses are out.

On Sunday, May 3rd, Mexico's Ministry of Health said that the worst of the outbreak had passed, partially because of the shutdowns made during the last five days. He also mentioned that the virus might turn out to be no worse than a typical seasonal flu outbreak. So Mexico City and others cities affected are looking forward to see this moment finished. President Felipe Calderon announced that his government will design a series of measures to stimulate the economy, especially the tourism sector, such as stimulus funds and tax reductions on tourist cruise ships.