[Dog Gone]

As with most illnesses, this is likely to have a much larger impact on the third world. But we can't stop colds or influenza in this country, and this appears to be far more contagious and deadly.

If we can somehow stabilize the spread of it, we'll be fine. West Nile Virus killed five people in Houston last year, and the world didn't end (except for those poor souls). There haven't been any SARS deaths in the entire country, yet.

But as long as the numbers are increasing in spite of all our efforts, it's a huge concern.

[Nov3]

But as long as the numbers are increasing in spite of all our efforts, it's a huge concern.

Don't get me wrong, I am concerned. I just don't think American society is as vulnerable as Hong Kong or Bejing. They may reach the number of cases necessary for the disease to explode. The numbers are still too low relative to the population to explode (as far as we know). If it continues to progress in numbers it may reach the point where everyone in Bejing will come into contact with it. That won't be fun.

[Nov3]

I just got off the phone with the GM of one of the air freight companies here in Memphis (no not FedEx). We started discussing SARS and he said one of his clients has been Air Freighting 10,000 pounds (POUNDS!) of surgical masks every day for 5 days to Toronto at a cost of roughly a dollar a pound. Toronto is a reasonable driving distance from here. The need is that intense that they are air freighting.