Metaphoric contagion: The slow steady advance of SARS on the news horizon has a strange synergy with war headlines and bio-terrorism. Let's see:
* China, like Iraq, has covered up or at least vastly understated the extent of its public health crisis to the WHO (read "international inspectors") and declined to invite help from the CDC.
*SARS isn't yet causing mass death -- the admitted toll is still around 100, who knows what the real number is? -- but it may be too late to impose effective quarantine measures preventing deaths overseas. (potential for "mass destruction")
*Planes are a major threat vector ("security problems") and it's already hurting international busuinees and tourist travel.
Isn't it time for us to draft an ultimatum, Dick? Colin will get on board later after he's tried the UN gambit.
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* China, like Iraq, has covered up or at least vastly understated the extent of its public health crisis to the WHO (read "international inspectors") and declined to invite help from the CDC.
*SARS isn't yet causing mass death -- the admitted toll is still around 100, who knows what the real number is? -- but it may be too late to impose effective quarantine measures preventing deaths overseas. (potential for "mass destruction")
*Planes are a major threat vector ("security problems") and it's already hurting international busuinees and tourist travel.
Isn't it time for us to draft an ultimatum, Dick? Colin will get on board later after he's tried the UN gambit.
- bruno 4-10-2003 6:00 pm