Lessons from two pandemics: be safe, don't panic

I stood in the garage and tossed my travel clothes into the washer. I sprayed her house with disinfectants. I took my temperature. Normal, but for how long? I was buying into the terror of the unknown.

I desperately wanted to meet my new grandson for the first time, but my daughter's roommate had sick elderly parents and didn't want to take any chances. My daughter proposed that we could meet away from the house, but by then I had become afraid I might put them in peril. It was clear that I couldn't stay. I was a pariah in the place I feel most at home.

My friends in Hawaii had no such compunctions, so the next day I went back to LAX, flew to Hawaii, spent the two-week "quarantine" where I was welcome, then finished my vacation in California. Meeting my grandson was a highlight of my life. All was well again. A happy ending.

But experts tell us we will face more pandemics. Most travelers won't have a safe haven like I had in Hawaii during SARS. We can't quarantine millions of travelers. We can't all join them in their quarantine. What shall we do?

Maybe because I am a New England Yankee, and we are very practical, I believe that it is better to be safe than sorry. I am giving some thought to this now so that I can be better prepared in the future.

I wish I could say I have some terrific answers to pass on. I don't. I only have questions. I can, however, say that I was better prepared the second time around. Next time? Being sure how I'll react would require a crystal ball. I only hope I can act with common sense, not panic. And you?