“Once you get out of Beijing – and the further you get from Beijing – the interest in SARS avoidance and precautions remains low if it exists at all.”
“Another problem is at play here. People who think they are sick, people who think they could have SARS in China, are reluctant to turn themselves in. They fear the government more than the disease.”
“My colleague in China started a trip from down near Hong Kong at the beginning of April, and traveled through Beijing and into northern China (Jilin Province). The only place SARS awareness existed was in Beijing.”
“The Chinese government appreciates media manipulation and SARS caused the “spin machine” to go into overdrive.”
“So before SARS gets too far or we discover a new deadly disease, here are a few things we need to remember about China in the twenty-first century:
*There is no effective, centrally managed organization like the Centers for Disease Control in China.
*The Chinese government has a track record of covering up bad news like the outbreak of an infectious disease.
*China is a densely populated nation with cultural and sanitation standards and methods more than a century behind that of the western world.
*Many citizens of China fear their oppressive government and have a tendency to keep problems to themselves.
*China tends to “fake” efficiency and effectiveness in a lame attempt to manipulate the media.
Before the outbreak of the next vicious, deadly disease, we need to discuss these problems with China.”
Now back to 2007. What has changed in China in 2007 with regard to:
* food and ingredient inspection?
* announcing a crisis in the media?
* getting to the bottom of problems in a disciplined and orderly way?
* proving sufficient quality medical care to a population of 1.3 billion?
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