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The Public Health Ministry recently held a press conference to tell one and all that this disease is curable, because the fatality rate depends largely on each individual's immunity levels. It also said washing one's hands regularly would help. (The officers at the press conference even demonstrated all the steps involved in keeping your hands squeaky clean.)

In addition, they said preventing infections meant people should stay at least 1 metre apart. If this is true, then few people would want to go shopping, because department stores are one of the many places where people cannot keep away from each other, especially in the evenings when salary workers throng to the malls.

Yesterday, Tesco Lotus issued a statement assuring shoppers of its hygiene standards, swearing it would help limit the spread of the disease. It is stocking up on medical supplies like alcohol and germ-killing liquid soap, as well as having all of its employees wear face masks.

It also said any employee displaying flu symptoms would be reported to a doctor and forced to stay at home until recovering fully. Tesco Lotus also promised all of its branches would be cleaned more frequently and that all of the liquid soap in toilets would be replaced with germ-killing products.

However, no other company has taken steps as strict as those assumed at Shell Thailand. At its office in Bangkok's Klong Toei district, visitors are not allowed to go any further than the first-floor lobby. Employees suffering from a sore throat are forced to wear a face mask, and if their condition worsens, they are made to stay home.

Some may say people seem to be overreacting, but everyone knows prevention is better than cure.

As the number of victims of this new flu escalates in Thailand, demand for masks is only going to rise. I wonder if this will also increase the number of burglaries. After all, robbers will be difficult to nail down, especially when everyone is wearing a mask.