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But go ahead and get hysterical with them if it makes you happy.

What?

My comment was that you were misunderstanding the statement. When it says that the rate of death was 30% for people over 70, it means that 30% of the people over 70 who contracted SARS died from the disease.

You seemed to be interpreting it to mean that SARS was responsible for 30% of the death of people over 70.

I realize you think this is media hysteria and perhaps there's some truth to that, but I don't think you've demonstrated any expertise to make a good case for saying that. If in a year from now we'll have forgotten about SARS, it will be because there will be some major work done on SARS that will help to stop its spread and prevent new outbreaks, not because the media will move onto a different topic.

All these are happening in Hong Kong now:

70% of the population wear a face mask. Some with disposable gloves too.

Lifts buttons are covered with a plastic sheet which is changed every 2 to 3 hours. All public places are fumigated daily. some twice.

An entire housing complex is cordoned off with all residents sent into quarantine.

Strictly no family visiting of all patients (including non-SARS patients) in hospitals. No last rite allowed. Patient cannot see their family before they die. They allow them to use web cam, though. Imagine seeing how your loved one die on your own computer screen.

All non-emergency operations are cancelled (including cancer). Operation room are converted to facilitate increasing demand of ICU beds. Private hospital (which do not accept SARS patients to prevent further contamination) beds are “drafted” to accommodate general patients.

Medical cars workers serving SARS patients are requested to write their wills. Despite full protection, they still constitute 1/3 of the new cases. They are real heroes.

Medical care workers are not allowed to go home after shift to prevent infecting family members. They must stay in make shift quarters. Some haven’t seen their family for a month.

Forced abortion for all pregnant SARS patients under 13 weeks to prevent birth defect.

No make-up allowed for patients died of SARS. Coffin must be sealed. Can’t even say last goodbye in funeral.

No confession, no holy communion, no holy water, no hand shakes in Roman Catholic churches.

All schools suspended (3 weeks). Some even indefinitely in infected areas. All students must pass temperature check and step on disinfectant soaked carpet before entering school. Hand wash every hour. Strict all day face mask rule. Heavy dose Vitamin C for every student. No school lunch in canteen. Teacher supervised lunch in classroom only (strictly no talking). No physical contact with other student.

Temperature check at airport. One passenger found sick, entire plane is quarantined. 500 infrared detecting machine are installed in land transport immigration points to check passenger’s temperature.

Most sports events and concerts are cancelled. Those which still take place will check temperature of every audience. If fever is found, ticket will be refunded immediately. An embulance is waiting at the front door to transport that audience to hospital.

All shops, banks, offices, restaurants, schools will be closed immediately for disinfection if one case is found among the staff. Entire team of staff will be sent into quarantine.

Cinemas and restaurants are closing down. Airplanes are grounded. Hotel are empty. It is now causing an “economic meltdown” in a once prosperous city.

Now tell me, is this hysteria? Or your ignorance?