This brings to mind an event on the fringe of my memory. When I was a child, there was a plague going around that all of the children were falling to. As hard as it is to believe, my mother sent me to the house of quarantined victims of that awful scourge in order that I would become purposefully infected with their pathogen.
Now I don't feel guilty about not feeling guilty about never visiting her in that 'home' my sister stuck her in.
So after having survived the Pox, I have no fear of this Chinese Flu coming our way.
Sounds like Mommie Dearest (like the movie character), or maybe she just wanted to you to help the sick quarantined victoms.