U.S. virus experts slam SARS panic

Reuters - alertnet.org ^ | 28 Apr 2003 | Maggie Fox

[CathyRyan]

This is for all "The Stand People" out there. For the rest....Funding time?

[Nov3]

These AIDS experts have done such a good job with AIDS shouldn't we follow their advice on this?< /sarcasm>

Screw these morons they are just jealous that someone is doing the right thing here and we have a chance to stamp this out.

[Nov3]

In contrast, 94 percent of SARS patients recover.

This statement shows just how uninformed these morons are.

[Russell Scott]

While AIDS ravages Africa and China, WHO screams SARS! SARS! I scream SCAM! SCAM!

[harpseal]

Some of the reasona for the difference between the reactions to SARS and AIDS is due to the fact that one does not need bodily fluid contact, there are now treatments for aids, aids has been arround long enough for people to get used to the risk. The airborne communicable nature of SARS makes it far more threatening to the average lay person. It actually seems to have a mortality rate of about 10% to 20%. Now given the devastation of say a smallpox with a 30% mortality rate some rather sound epidemialogical control measures should be in place and honest communication about the nature of the problem is essential.

No I am not a "The Stand" person I am just trying to be reasonable. As of right now it seems the infection control protocols in place in the USA seem to be working well.

[Nov3]

True, You get Aids from letting someone ram you in the @$$ or sharing needles. Also the mortality rate is much higher than 6% for true cases of SARS.

[Nov3]

As of right now it seems the infection control protocols in place in the USA seem to be working well.

We seem to have turned the corner on this no thanks to the AIDS experts. Had the strain that guy was spreading at the Metropole gotten loose it would have been ugly

[Coroner]

AIDS is primarily a behavioral disease. Statistically 75% of US AIDS patients are male homosexuals, another 15% are I.V. drug abusers. How many others that are infected through casual sex is probably a large portion of the remaining 10%. Meanwhile a disease like Leukemia that kills far more innocents is underfunded being parasitized by AIDS!!!

[Dog Gone]

I certainly don't see any overreaction here in the US. Has anyone seen anyone wearing a mask in public? Any mass quarantines?

The worst Americans can be accused of is deferring trips to Hong Kong. The numbers were never large anyway, and I hardly see how that translates into panic.

Even if people are going to Chinese restaurants less (and they seem as crowded around my city as they ever were), BFD. French restaurants aren't as crowded, either, and I don't think Americans are under any moral duty to patronize any business.

[Nov3]

Do you think we are handling this epidemic as well as the AIDS epidemic was and is being handled. I mean we can wait until 20,000,000 people have SARS and tell everyone to wear respirators and face masks (SARS condoms).

These morons know less about handling an epidemic than the common Joe.

[Dog Gone]

I think we're handling it as well as can be expected. President Bush has authorized forcible quarantine in advance in the event it becomes necessary. The CDC is putting out a lot of information, and we're keeping very close watch on any suspicious cases.

The alternative would be to shut down our ports, borders and airports, or quarantine all travelers for 10 days after their arrival. That would send the global markets into meltdown in addition to crippling trade we need. It would also be political suicide, because if it achieved its objective of keeping the virus out, it would be assailed as being ridiculous and unnecessary.

I think we're doing everything that is prudent, which is in total contrast to how we handled AIDS. Leftists put politics before medicine in that epidemic, and the world is still paying the price.

[GrandMoM]

AIDS kills virtually everyone it infects without treatment and 20 years into the AIDS epidemic* and how many Billion of TAX PAYERS Dollars *there is no cure and no vaccine.

[EternalHope]

As individuals, we are clearly not at short-term risk in the U.S., or anywhere else in the western world (not even Toronto). Our efforts at containment have worked. It is too soon to declare victory, but victory may be near (except in China).

So what are these two doctors complaining about? A careful reading of the article shows these doctors believe the medical system's response to SARS was appropriate, everywhere except China.

They are right about breathless stories about "possible" SARS cases in the U.S., almost all of which are not SARS in the first place. That kind of media hype is always going to be with us, so it is hard to get too concerned.

They also objected to boycotts of Chinese owned businesses, and people wearing masks outside. They are right about both, although neither one seems like something to get worked up about.

As far as boycotts go, I doubt Chinese businesses are being boycotted to any large degree, except perhaps in Toronto.

As far as people wearing masks go, SARS transmission outdoors would require someone to cough in your face, so the masks are not needed outdoors. But if people feel better walking down the street with a mask on, so what?

On balance, this story seems to be a statement of the obvious, combined with a headline designed to catch a reader's eye.

The real story right now is China. It is definitely not hype to say this is a HUGE story, although actually getting that story out will be difficult. China has no desire to let the foreign media see what is going on in China.

SARS is clearly out of the box in China. What happens if China cannot contain SARS?

[templar]

There will be about three million deaths in the United States this year. How many total SARS deaths will occur in the world as a whole?

[Steel Wolf]

I wouldn't be too critical of all this. If managed properly, the panic could work out in our favor, and help bring down a brutal regime. </realpolitik>

[txhurl]

And the pathogen they think they have is part cold virus, part mouse hepatitis, part avian infectious bronchitis. How did that happen???

This is true? Who thinks?

[riri]

These AIDS experts have done such a good job with AIDS shouldn't we follow their advice on this?

Hmmmm, 20 years later and we are still seeing 16,000 some odd new infections everyday. Despite the education available about how the disease is contracted and despite the fact that AIDS is not any easy disease to catch. Except for the small percentage of innocents, AIDS can easly be avoided. The same cannot be said about SARS.

[EternalHope]

There will be about three million deaths in the United States this year. How many total SARS deaths will occur in the world as a whole?

No one knows exactly, so how 'bout a range. Say, anywhere between 2,000 (China cracks down hard, puts it back in its box), and 100,000,000+ (catastrophe in China, trouble brewing for the rest of us).

Anyone who says they "know" any closer than that is either lieing, or has a direct line to God.