Flu control methods reflect different values

• Source: Global Times
• [08:14 October 28 2009]
• Comments

Illustration: Liu Rui

By Xiao Kailin

Experts' predictions of a possible second round outbreak of A (H1N1) influenza during the fall and winter seem to be turning into reality.

The situation has become more severe, especially since the US, charged by global society with inadequate prevention of the pandemic, declared the flu a "national emergency."

Ever since the outbreak of the flu in Mexico, some experts and scholars have emphasized that countries should take strict precautions to control the epidemic. The World Health Organization took this position – it raised the alert level to the highest level very early.

China, blamed for an overly-slow response during the SARS outbreak in 2003, has obviously learned a lesson: It would rather overreact and prepare in advance than being unresponsive. It was even criticized for the forced quarantine of people who had close contact with flu patients.