Flight to Shanghai - Part III

1:40 a.m. In preparation for landing, we get a one sentence announcement in Chinese, followed by a one sentence announcement in heavily accented English. We understand none of it. Immediately the stewardesses pass through the cabin with laser beam guns which they direct at each passenger's forehead to check the passenger's body temperature. The laser beam displays as a bright red quarter-size dot on the passenger's forehead. Not one passenger says anything about his civil rights or privacy. One American calls out, "They're checking your I.Q."

Our group leader had suggested in advance that we take a few aspirin two hours before arrival to reduce our body temperatures. All this is related to the H1N1 flu. (Earlier in the evening we filled out a Health Declaration Form. Among other things, the form said: "Fill in form truly...False information may cause legal consequences." The form has various check boxes for fever, coughing, fatigue and other symptoms. FATIGUE? Hello, we've been awake for 21 hours! No one checks the "Fatigue" box.

2:00 a.m. Chinese yoga on the TV monitor. Some passengers doing yoga.

China Daily Business Section: "China will remove or reduce export taxes on grain, rice, metals, and other materials to prevent trade situation from deteriorating further. Premier Wen Jiabao said that China's exports situation was severe."

3:50 a.m. Plane lands in Shanghai's main airport, about an hour's drive from the city. There is a little consternation among the crew as eight health officials in head-to-toe white Hazmat gear, topped with bright red goggles, board the plane to re-laser everyone. The health officials stick thermometers into the mouths of those with questionable body temperatures. No civil rights conversation here.

One young Chinese man has a fever. He's sitting next to Ruth, a member of our group. They are both detained, along with two people in front and two behind. The rest of us are directed to deplane from the other side of the aircraft, away from the "infected" parties. Ruth's detention detains all of us for an hour at which time she is "released." We suspect the "infected" person was also released. All show and no go just like some of our American airport procedures.

Two other members of our group, travelling on different flights, were detained as well. We each received an email in Shanghai that all the first-time China teachers (me) will be quarantined in Wuhan for six days in early July. We feel confident that our leader will fix this problem well before we arrive in Wuhan.