SARS & GZ?

[Guest Se_Lang]

Hey does anyone know what did GZ do last year when SARS hit, The reason I am asking is my MM is saying the news is saying SARS might hit again in that area, and is worried it might affect our time line.

[Dave G.]

Hey does anyone know what did GZ do last year when SARS hit, The reason I am asking is my MM is saying the news is saying SARS might hit again in that area, and is worried it might affect our time line.

What did GZ do? Nothing. That's why it got so out of control. I think they've learned their lesson.

 

Will SARS come back? No one knows. The current thinking is that, as any virus does, it is out there still mutating. The virus was thought to only affect certain animals. But, it mutated and jumped to humans. Could it be it's mutating now, only to affect different animals but not humans anymore? Seems the human proved not to be a viable host in the long run. "Survival to the fittest."

 

Don't worry about things beyond your control. If SARS hits again -- especially having traveled all over China in the last days of the crisis -- I'm confident they will be better prepared next time. In hindsight and looking at the norms, I personally don't feel SARS affected my timeline.

 

Did you see the movie What About Bob ? Want something to worry about? Tourettes. http://smilies.sofrayt.com/%5E/c0/haha.gif

[frank1538]

If memory serves, the consulate reduced the numbers of personnel, I think on a voluntary basis, but continued to work. I think visa processing continued but at a reduced rate.

 

I was in Guangdong during the SARS episodes. It seemed sporadic at best - some areas hit a lot harder than other areas. We'll see what happens during the upcoming flu season.

[Mick]

We were living in Guangdong last year when SARS broke out. What happened? Well, for the governments part, they initially ignored it, then denied it. Only after much pressure from the World Health Organization and the international community, did the Chinese government begin to take more positive action. I would think this time around, they will be more forthcoming with information and more proactive in terms of their policies.

 

As for the general populace, at first there was a degree of widespread panic. There was price gouging for some cleaning products (especially white vinegar) and certain medications, mostly antibiotics and some traditional medicines.

 

Hope things are better should the virus resurface this yearr.

[mikem]

Hey does anyone know what did GZ do last year when SARS hit, The reason I am asking is my MM is saying the news is saying SARS might hit again in that area, and is worried it might affect our time line.

An other fellow who's fiance' was going for interview at that time.. went for the interview she was from Nanning and was told she had to stay in her home for 20 days after her visit to GZ.. I guess thats the incubation period??

I was in China (my thrid time there in about 20 months) last June and July I entered through Shanghai funny I do not recall any issues with SAR's in Shanghai anyway for what it's worth..

[Guest Se_Lang]

As for the general populace, at first there was a degree of widespread panic. There was price gouging for some cleaning products (especially white vinegar) and certain medications, mostly antibiotics and some traditional medicines.

I sent my MM a whole bunch of that waterless hand cleaner(Purell) for her an her family.

 

 

I was there in March this year went through Beijing on to Chongqing with out a second look, in Aug I went back to Beijing to visit this time I got my temp scanned and had to fill out question sheet.

[mikem]

As for the general populace, at first there was a degree of widespread panic. There was price gouging for some cleaning products (especially white vinegar) and certain medications, mostly antibiotics and some traditional medicines.

I sent my MM a whole bunch of that waterless hand cleaner(Purell) for her an her family.

 

 

I was there in March this year went through Beijing on to Chongqing with out a second look, in Aug I went back to Beijing to visit this time I got my temp scanned and had to fill out question sheet.

yeah roger that, through Shanghai scanned coming in and going out and had to have a health cert. signed off before getting my ticket to leave. But went very smooth..

[Mick]

Owen and I had our famous meeting with RA at the GZ Consulate on February 10th, right at the heigth of the SARS scare. Way before opening, lines were formed outside many drug shops, filled with folks waiting to buy various mixtures and remedies. Didn't see too many face masks at that time however.

 

Went back on March 10 to pick up our visa. No one seemed too scared unless someone started coughing on the bus.

[owenkrout]

Much of the country went into a virtual lock-down mode eventually, but only after they could no longer just deny that anything was happening. Cities, Provinces and even villages set up blockaids to turn back anyone who was not a registered citizen of that area and to slap people coming from Beijing or other hot-spots into quarantine. Even the US Consulate had a lot of difficulty in getting permission for staff to come and go from Shenyang on official business.

 

A Chinese source who is in a position to know told us that there were many more people dying in some rural areas than was ever admitted but they were listed as flu deaths. Those who were in the know had been ordered not to talk about the situation. True or not? I don't really know. When the government controls the media, the rumour mill tends to run in overdrive. I do know that on the train ride through the Guangdong Province I noted that there were very high numbers of fresh graves at some villages. (My wife tells me that officially the government requires cremation, but that those who are religious often ignore the regulation)

 

Given all of that, I must say that I never felt at danger in Shenyang. The city government over reacted there after the Beijing mayor got fired but at least they did manage to limit it to only a few cases that were effectively isolated. One college president was fired in Shenyang for trying to cover up a handful of SARS cases in the student body.