Swine flu fever

There has been much press coverage here, as elsewhere, of swine flu.

Special checks have been set up at the airport. The pharmacies have reported a run on Tamiflu and face masks, although many women have fully covered faces anyway. Locals are being encouraged not to kiss when they greet each other, as is the custom between men. The Government has set up a hotline to update people on developments.

Luckily there are as yet no reported cases. And all of the measures taken seem sensible.

However, the illness is also being used by some to reignite the issue of whether sales of pork should be allowed in the Kingdom.

Muslims do not eat pork for religious reasons. At present, pork and products containing pork (it's amazing how many items do) are on sale in most major supermarkets, but in a separate room, hidden from view. A bit like x-rated magazines in a newsagent.

Pork imports are currently banned due to swine flu and once again there are calls in the papers for a permanent ban.

Stocks are running down. We are having a bbq at the weekend so I hot-footed it down to the supermarket today to stock up on snags. Who knows how long it will be before we can get more?

And so we face the prospect of future barbies with no wine, no beer and no snags. Now that's just not cricket.