Are you concerned?

[Satcomer]

With all the news about the SARS outbreak, how many of you are concerned about it?

This kind of scares me because I'm a firm believer of those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Have you ever heard of the Spanish Flu?

[Ugg]

SARS is just one of a series of health issues that will be facing us as the world gets more and more crowded. Ebola, HIV, West Nile, etc are all indications of our increased mobility and of the decrease in sanitary conditions in our world.

Michael Pollan has written a book called "The Botany of Desire" It is about how certain plants; the potato, tulip, apple and marijuana have formed an almost symbiotic relationship with humans. These viruses that are plaguing us so much are also forming a relationship with humans, one that ensures the survival of the virus at the expense of human life.

It is a very scary virus (?) and I'm sure we've not seen the end of its spread but until we are able to improve medical care and sanitary conditions in the parts of the world where these viruses have originated there is little hope that they can be stopped. Also, with our increased mobility they will spread with increasing speed.

I would certainly think twice about traveling to east asia or africa right now or even Toronto for that matter.

Three of my great-grandparents died from the Spanish Flu, devastating their families.

[Satcomer]

The only thing is not if you travel to those locations, it is the people from those locations coming to your part of the world. That's what happened in Toronto.

[arun]

Africa gives out ebola, china for its part released SARS. Since africa doesnt play (yet) a role as an important economic hub, ebola seems to restrict itself within congo. Man who would eat gorilla meat? I guess may be poverty forces you to do it. Can we blame this SARS on chinese government?

My reasons being, this is the third virus which seems to have jumped species to humans in china within 6-7 years. 2 aviary virus and the current one SARS virus. As long as the chinese government doesnt put in any effort to educate their farmers and animal rarers (spelling?) who live too close to farm animals like pigs, ducks, chicken ... etc .. different strains of virus are bound to appear once in 3 years.

be healthy and hope that the upcoming virus isnt too virulant. SARS for now seems like not a virulant virus (mortality is about 2-4%). But it might mutate into a much worse enemy. Hope i am wrong here....

arun

[Perseus]

Yeah, I'm just mostly concerned about the people bringing SARS over here. I wonder if they have to watch out for it more on the West coast.

-Perseus

[habilis]

**cough**
**cough** **cough**
I'm not concerned at all **cough**

Seriously though it only has a mortality rate of about 4%. It usually only kills people over 40 or people with compromised immune systems. They're already working on a vaccine for it so I'm not feeling too much anxiety, it's not like you can outrun a microscopic airborn particle so I've already accepted the fact I will get it soon. Right across the lake from me in Toronto it's already spreading like wildfire. **cough**

[toast]

Finnish guy from the International Labour Organization just died this morning