(The above from remarks by the Irish minister for health regarding keeping SARS from getting a foothold in Ireland. To quote [in case the Irish Times article is premium content]):
“Preventing a SARS outbreak in the State will need similar high-profile approaches as were adopted during the foot-and-mouth crisis, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, conceded yesterday.
“However, he called for calm and some perspective in the debate about the virus, pointing out that many more people were dying from flu and malaria than SARS.
“‘We are dealing with an unknown phenomenon here called SARS which has just recently become known to the medical community internationally and it can’t be stopped by [stepping in] buckets [full of disinfectant] and water…’
One of the measures announced was the opening of the Irish Department of Health SARS information page. Despite the occasional typo, it’s fairly comprehensive.
Meanwhile, in China things are a little tenser. “UP to 2000 villagers torched a school earmarked as a SARS quarantine centre, ransacked government offices and overturned cars in China’s first reported instance of social unrest related to SARS.”
…The image to the right comes from Ziboy.com’s photoblog from Beijing. A little too much protection, possibly…? (Thanks to geisha asobi blog for the link.)
