Global virus alert criteria criticized

• Source: The Global Times
• [07:49 May 20 2009]
• Comments

China more cautious after SARS outbreak

A poll on Huanqiu.com, the website of the Global Times, indicated late last night that almost 78 percent of 3,447 respondents supported raising the threat to the pandemic level. But the same poll also said that the virus hasn't negatively impacted the lives of 68 percent of those polled.

“The Chinese have developed an acute awareness of pandemics after the outbreak of SARS in 2003, and we have a sense of urgency that China will suffer badly from a pandemic in a globalized age,” said Zhang Yiwu, a well known Chinese language professor at Peking University who is often outspoken about such publicized events. He was speaking to the Global Times as to why the majority of those polled favored raising the alert level.

Meanwhile, the spreading of the virus in places such as Japan may be more attributable to citizens (rather than governments) not being as worried about contracting the virus that has fizzled in terms of lives taken in recent weeks. This is evidenced by the fact that authorities closed many schools in Japan this week, but students have simply flocked to crowded karaoke bars, club operators told media in Japan yesterday.

But inner China is “comparatively safe,” Zhang said, adding that people aren't that concerned about catching the virus because they're confident in the government's efforts to contain and stop the spread.

Priority should be mitigating infection: WHO

China yesterday confirmed its fourth mainland flu case and announced a new suspected case – an Italian woman who had arrived in Tibet as a tourist.
The confirmed case was a 59-year-old man who was stopped with a fever as he tried to enter South China from Hong Kong via train Friday.

China's top priority now should be to mitigate the impact of the virus in the country, Tan said. It should continue to heighten surveillance.

Tan suggested that China launch a far-reaching public education campaign to inform people on how to protect themselves.

The WHO does not generally encourage pandemic-related international border closures for people or goods. As of yesterday, the virus had been reported in 40 countries and regions.

“Imposing travel restrictions will have little to no effect on limiting its spread, but could rather disrupt normal life in the global context,” Tan said.
Health experts have reportedly told the WHO that manufacturers won't be ready to produce a vaccine until mid-July. WHO officials had thought production would start in May.

Qiu Wei and Liang Chen also contributed to this story