Qatar Airways allays fears over swine flu

Qatar Airways has assured passengers that is taking all measures to tackle health concern over the swine flu.
Qatar Airways has taken several steps to tackle health concerns following the recent outbreak of swine flu in Mexico.
Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar al- Baker said: “The health and wellbeing of all our passengers and employees is of paramount importance and Qatar Airways in no way compromises the safety of any individual.
“Passengers should be reassured that modern aircraft have very advanced air filtration systems which ensure a high level of air quality despite the confined environment they travel in.”
Qatar Airways has been working closely with health authorities in Qatar and monitoring developments with international health organisations and governments around the world in order to be able to take the most appropriate measures.
Since April 27, Qatar Airways has mandated that all flight deck and cabin crew wear masks on flights originating from the United States – namely daily services from New York, Washington DC and Houston.
The airline has taken additional mandatory measures for all 1,100 flight deck and 3,400 cabin crew in the company to be vaccinated against influenza to limit the risk of contamination to passengers and staff. The flu vaccine is a protective measure and only protects against a certain strain of flu, not swine flu, which is at the centre of the current health concerns.
Passengers on Qatar Airways’ flights originating from the US are being given masks upon boarding and advised to wear them on board. In addition, all Qatar Airways’ customer contact staff in the United States and at Doha International Airport are required to wear masks.
If prior to boarding in the US or during transit in Doha, passengers are identified as having flu or fever-like symptoms, they will be referred to a local medical centre to determine their suitability to travel.
The airline’s decision has been taken to control the potential transmission of the virus to fellow passengers and crew onboard.
Al-Baker said that the airline took these unconditional measures at an early stage in the full interests of the public.
“There is absolutely no compromise for the safety of any individual, whether they are travelling or not. As an airline we are fully responsible for the safety of our passengers, crew and ground staff, but also as the national carrier of the State of Qatar, we have a responsibility to reduce the risk of exposure to people living and working in the country.”
“Qatar Airways strongly recommends that in the best interests of fellow travellers, passengers refer to information available through international health authorities, including the World Health Organisation, at www.who.int prior to travelling. In addition, individual countries are issuing their own travel advisories.”
Qatar Airways Head of Medical Services Dr Soha al-Bayat added: “In light of the current situation, it is vital for people to observe strict personal hygiene controls to protect themselves and those around them.
“If passengers develop fever or flu-like symptoms, they are advised to consult their doctor or medical practitioner straightaway. Symptoms of this A (H1N1) particular strain of flu include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue,” she said.
Health authorities around the world have advised that in the interests of personal hygiene, people should cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing; avoid touching their eyes and nose in case the virus has been transmitted, and frequently wash their hands.

Gulf Times

Emir maps way out of crisis

The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday said the right way to deal with the current economic crisis is to acknowledge and correct past errors.

“The solution lies not in abandoning the market laws and free trade or to resort to selective protectionist measures or to reject planning entirely, but the solution as is the case with each crisis, lies in striking a balance between responsibility and freedom, between market laws, and public social responsibility,” the Emir said in his address to the 9th Doha Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade, that opened at the Doha-Sheraton last evening. He also said the crisis has exceeded what is usually foreseen and expected of the market activity, from expansion to deflation. “It has gone out of control and has turned into a dangerous hurricane that threatens beyond our imagination,” he said.

The crisis is not a natural catastrophe like a hurricane or earthquake, but a result of human policies, miss-planning, excessive self confidence, desire to get rich quickly, and mixing the necessary loans needed for production and consumption with borrowing for speculations that exceed the gross production, the Emir said.

“What happened was a result of confusing beneficial investment in the stock exchange with gambling. It was also a result of turning away from the fundamentals of sound economy that is based on labour, production, market, and profit,” he said. He added that what is more dangerous than the economic crisis is the cultural and moral crisis which would not have been taken seriously by some people, had this critical crisis not happened.

The culture of consumption and getting rich quickly without production, he said, has spread out and turning speculations into a norm in the same developed countries in which the extent of the financial catastrophe was suddenly revealed.

The Emir also pointed out that the state should interfere in a crisis of such a magnitude and adopt new laws to monitor the activities of banks and financial institutions in general.

“However, there should be a warning against this interference turning into a wrong attempt to put the blame on others or on the principle of free trade itself on the one hand or in exaggerations in defending all its negative aspects and those of the banking system on the other,” he said warning against protectionist measures as a way out of the crisis. He said such measures would hinder international efforts to face the crisis and its repercussions.

Historically the crises had a corrective effect on the course of economy when producers and decision makers collaborated in drawing the correct conclusions, and not by looking for sedatives and painkillers that would mitigate the symptoms while the ailment aggravates, the Emir said.

The Peninsula