SARS Hits Canada

[Snipes]

As you all may have already known, the SARS disease has hit Canada. Let's all pray that it will not hit USA.

I myself am terribly afraid of that idea.. the only thing we can do now is pray that they will find a cure for SARS.

I read up on the SARS virus and learned alot of what the disease has to offer, and how it is affecting people in china, and with the people who are in fear of it, go to http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/04/27/sars.wrap/index.html for more info on that subject..

[BTs_Mysterio]

Ok snipey, perhapes it would have made sense if you posted this A MONTH AGO! That's about how long SARS has been in Canada...

And SARS is almost dead, we've got it on the ropes...now all we need is some colony to dump all the infecties. Then we'll make treaties as slowy take their land.

[The Ghost of Bondo]

Snipey...instead of praying you could...wash your hands religiously.

[alaric]

I don't really understand why everybody is so concerned about SARS. It doesn't seem like a particularly nasty bug to me. The mortality rate is really low, about the same as pnemonia. It seems like it's just one more tool the media uses to keep the public in a state of fear...

[jn.loudnotes]

Yeah. . .

It seems like we might should be a little more concerned about 2000 dead civilians in Iraq and 3000 in Afghanistan than 500 worldwide stricken with a disease most people survive.

[*DAMN Hazard]

If I had SARS I would hump Infection.

[Snipes]

If I had SARS I would probably soon die, so I'd probably live the rest of my life in fear..

[kami]

I'm not saying you need to be afraid of this but it's not as harmless as you think, right now the mortality rate is about 6% and rising (last I heard), about 5000 infected and 320 dead, something around those numbers. It's not under control yet, especially not in China where it's still raging although the Chinese authorities are doing a lot to contain it (not letting kids go to school, cancelling national holidays etc).

Oh and praying would just be stupid since when you pray your hands are close to your face and mouth, if you wash your hands, as Bondo said, you'd have a much bigger chance to avoid both SARS and common colds.

[jn.loudnotes]

"If I had SARS I would probably. . ."

No, you wouldn't.  6% is nothing.  It's not probably anything.  Keep in mind that means 94% of everyone who gets SARS survives alive and well.

So, what's the big deal?  It's much more dangerous to live in Baghdad than Hong Kong at the moment. . .

[The Ghost of Bondo]

Loud, I'm not sure that is 6% have died while 94% have healed...I think that is 6% have died while the rest are still alive although may be slipping towards death.

Overall, I don't get concerned about things.  We will all die sometime, while being foolishly indifferent to safety isn't right, it isn't worth it to be overly safe either.  I'm not stocking up on plastic sheeting I can tell you that much.

[|MP|Nomad]

The media has severly over-rated SARS especially here in Canada.  I live in Canada, toronto, the city the most affected and harldy anyone walks around with n95 masks on or gloves, etc.  The media has really over did it, most recently the WHO, which made public that we are a country to avoid travelling to.  this couldnt be farther from the truth.  the WHO obviously hasnt seen that there have been no new cases of SARS, only that those who were already contracted have been dieing.  And, so they advise the world to not come here?  thats just rediculous.  Other, countries like Hong Kong, where the the virus inititally came from, is also beaten SARS by not having any more cases of infected ppl.  the only country still struggling to keep SARS contained right now, is China, as still daily infected reports are making news.  
However, for the most part, SARS is under control and Canada is very safe place to travel to, you would probably have a better chance to be hit by lighting than to contract SARS in general public walking about your business.