As the H1N1 flu has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, NPE2009 is taking precautionary measures, including setting up hand-sanitizer stations throughout Chicago's McCormick Place convention center, having all shuttle buses cleaned daily, and making sure all Chicago hotels have instituted additional cleaning measures.

In a statement issued today, SPI President & CEO William R. Carteaux said: "It is certainly not my intention to make light of concerns regarding the H1N1 pandemic, but the plain fact is that in the United States, aside from a few temporary school closings, the situation continues to be 'business as usual'. The percentage of the total population affected remains less than one-tenth of 1 percent. Furthermore, after thoughtful research based on mathematical modeling, the World Health Organization decided not to restrict global travel because limiting travel would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading. Historical records of previous influenza pandemics, as well as experience with SARS, validate this."

The good news is that 30,000 attendees from more than 100 countries have already registered for NPE2009 after the initial media coverage of H1N1. Carteaux said he will bring his entire family and 80 percent of his staff to Chicago for NPE week.

All is encouraging. But just as how many American citizens were culture shocked with China's heavy hand on H1N1 prevention (see PN editor Bob Grace's recent column from Chinaplas called "Taking temperature of the flu outbreak"), I can just imagine how Chinese exhibitors and visitors will be shocked that American airports and convention centers don't take people's temperature, that the authorities don't quarantine people who have had contact with H1N1 patients or those who have fever, that Americans are not very nervous about the pandemic. China and the U.S. have very different legal, political and medical systems, population conditions as well as mentalities.

Let's hope everything goes smoothly at the upcoming NPE show, and everyone remains safe and healthy.