H1N1 hits Ukraine.  Suddenly face-masks have appeared in great numbers across western Ukraine, and to a lesser extent in Kyiv and even in the embassy.  After months in which many people in Ukraine felt that H1N1, or swine flu, was something which happened somewhere else, the virus has taken hold here.  Over the week-end of 31 October-1 November, as temperatures in Kyiv fell below zero for the first time this winter and flurries of snow hurried the last of the autumn leaves from the trees, both Prime Minister Tymoshenko and President Yushchenko made announcements about the need for strong measures to combat the virus.

For the embassy, major health incidents like this require us to look several ways at once.  London is interested in the spread of the virus around the world and how other countries are coping, so we need to report on that.  Ukraine has asked the EU for help, so the UK has to consider how to respond.  Travellers need to know the situation, so we update our travel advice.  We also send out advice to British citizens registered with the embassy.  Last but not least, we need to explain what's happening to our own staff, some of whom are worried about the health implications of the pandemic.  Others, with child-care responsibilities, have been hit by the decision of the authorities to close all schools and nurseries for three weeks.  So far, the flu hasn't had a significant impact on our ability to do our work, and it's reassuring to see that in the UK, where according to one source the number of cases in England rose from 53,000 in week 42 to 78,000 this week, life continues more or less as normal.  Let's hope things continue that way, and that soon the main thing most people in Ukraine are talking about will cease to be the H1N1 virus and will once again be who will win the January 17th presidential election.