Did IBF make the correct decision in postponing the World Championships?

[raymond]

Originally posted by Cheung
good point. We don't know if a person is infectious or not before they have a raised body temperature. You can't identify them. Just like the situation with HIV infection. Many people with HIV walk around doing normal things. I can't see a difference.

HIV has been with us for many years. How it's transmitted is well understood.
although to this day we still have no cure, we know how to cope. Unless you
need blood transfusion (which should already have been screened by now), share
needles, have new *** partner(s), your risk is minimal. Again, can we proclaim we
know how SARS is spread?

Originally posted by Cheung
True. No test is 100% effective. Even patients who turn up to Emergency room get sent home and reattend later (for other illnesses too). This is a fact of life. At least temperature measurement and questionnaires are simple measures, easily performed, cheap, require only a small amount of training. Look at the cost:benefit ratio.
[/B]

It's one thing that a test is not 100% effective. It's another if the test is completely
ineffective. In between is a wide range. Sure, the methods (questionaires, and
temperature checks) are cheap alright. But IMHO they also have questionable
effectiveness. While I've no objection to this measure, I do question the wisdom
of relying on them though.

Originally posted by Cheung
I doubt any disease in the initial stages has such a test. For example, other viruses, at the inital stages of infection, Hep B, HIV, don't show up positive tests. This expectation is too high for the technology we have at the moment.
[/B]

Well put. You already said it's in the initial stage. So, why not have a bit more
patience? It's not life imprisonment, is it?

Originally posted by Cheung
You have to be pragmatic. Would you cut down all airplane flights, sports events because of the risk of terrorism? Cancel the Olympics please, somebody....
[/B]

I believed that's exactly what happened here in U.S. immediately after 9/11.
Airports were literally shut down, albeit shortly. That's, until counter-measures
were put in place. Furthermore, traffics were cut down naturally since people
automatically cancel their non-essential travel plans.

As for Olympics, well, everything has a price/priority. No kidding. Someone
might have made a decision for you how much your life is worth. It depends
on the SARS situation as we get closer to Olympics time. Everything has its
first time, I'm NOT rejecting the possibility of someone canceling Olympics altogether,
do you? If this does happen, I believe this would be its first time in history?

Originally posted by Cheung
Do you think the health care system is as advanced as in US? Consider also the baseline education level of the population. Some patients may not even understand the questions!!
[/B]

Hmm... You lost me here. Are you talking about the questions on those
screening questionaires?

Originally posted by Cheung
Anybody can be a terrorist threat.
[/B]

This is just as saying everyone would die some day. Apparently, the insurance
company has a slightly different idea using Actuarial Science.

Originally posted by Cheung
Raymond, sorry if I sound like I disagree with a lot of things.
[/B]

You don't need to apologize. As long as we don't resort to launching personal
attacks, and just stick with "things", okay?

Originally posted by Cheung
For the WC, perhaps players arriving from affected countries are at risk. Therefore, the rationale of implementation of screening for ALL of the delegation of all countries (as I suggested earlier) during the tournament. (Possibly could pick up virus in transit). NOT quarantine. Can a person transmit the virus over a distance of 3 metres? No evidence of that either.
[/B]

But the idea of this screening is flawed... It admits the possibility of infection
among some individuals. By the time he is screened out (based on development
of symptoms), countless other may have be infected by him alone.

To play Devil's Advocate, even if we've definitive diagnostic test, as long as it's
not instantaneous, we'd have logistic nightmare. A person that gets a negative
test result may be infected after the test was conducted but before the test was
published. Hence he'd be free, by mistake.

Originally posted by Cheung
Forcefully quarantining people without evidence does more harm than good. Would you forcefully quarantine people from countries with a high rate of HIV and force them to undergo a mandatory blood test after the seroconversion period?
[/B]

Why do you keep coming back to compare with HIV? Can you please establish
the argument that this is an "apple to apple" comparison?

Originally posted by Cheung
Now, if you said this two months ago, my stance would have been different. I might have said for the WC not to go ahead, but now we have more information.
[/B]

What information?

Originally posted by Cheung
If I am not mistaken, smallpox is the only virus that has ever been succesfully eradicated by man....coronavirus is not going to be the next one. [/B]

But SARS doesn't have to be eradicated. Furthermore, is it too early to surrender?
Common cold is pretty much harmless. That may explain practically no resources
are put into research a cure for it. Given high enough a profile and financial rewards,
you could see talent emerges. Is there any intrinsic reason why we can't deal
with coronavirus? Maybe because of SARS, we end up having vaccine for Common
Cold also

Of course, act/pretend as if nothing has happened is one way to cope. But it seems
too early to fall hopeless.

 

[raymond]

Re: Re: Kia-su, Kia-si, Kia-sars!!!

Originally posted by Cheung

BTW, WHO is an advisory alert. It doesn't say you must not go to affected countries unless there was a very good reason. You are only advised not to go. There's no reverse policy. Companies who enforce a 10 day quarantine of their employees do so out of their own company policy. Not because the WHO advises so.....

Ever wonder why companies choose to do so, despite the fact that is gonna
cost them opportunities, hard $$, delivery schedule? Why can't they implement
daily health check, and send people out as usual, or invite the Chinese/Asian
customers over instead?

 

[raymond]

Originally posted by Cheung
Since we are only referring to the WC here, we should apply our checking procedures in context of the world championships.

Well, I bet there are still flights coming in and out of China to Europe. Presumably, if LB, Raymond, Bbn etc are correct, then we should see more severe transmission in another countries. But it's not happening! Put in context of the WC, then the WC doesn't seem to be the high risk that people think it is at.

We're talking about chances here. As traveling frequency increases, the chance
SARS is spread would simply increase. If it hasn't happened yet, perhaps it's just
a question of time. Ever thought about the logic of smokers. Some of these people
may argue "I've been smoking for some 30 years... or someone has been smoking
for his whole life, and yet he lived to 80 something... So smoking can't be dangerous"
What would you be thinking when someone gives you such an argument?

Originally posted by Cheung
Please do not get confused with the issue of country screening its ports and screening at the world championships. Sure LB is correct...so what are you going to do, LB? Best thing to do is to lock yourself up inside and never go outside!
[/B]

You and Colin have repeatedly made such comments. I believe perhaps your
bravery has been misplaced. To be sensible and not attend major gatherings that
drastically increase your chance of infection at this early stage when not much
help can offer you, I think it's just wise and be responsible (to yourself, your loved
ones, and to other people). I'd call it a period of observation/caution. It doesn't
mean we can't go anywhere at all. You perhaps had made a sweeping
generalization here - "To not show up in SOME places is equivalent to not show up
in ALL places".

Does this sound right?

Originally posted by Cheung
I suspect a few people on this discussion are engineering disciplines. My impression is that, engineers like hard facts. Not probability. Unfortunately, no test in medicine is so hard fact. There are always errors when dealing with biological systems. That's why we have to use statistics. Even 'gold standard' tests have errors.
[/B]

You got the first part right. Yes, I'm an engineer (EE) by training and by profession.
But your 2nd part is off base. Engineers like hard facts. But they also like
probability. The latter is a technique commonly used in quality control, quantitative
analysis, and design works. The wireless network your cell phone calls go through,
the data network you hooked up to, the telephone switch you connected to, all
have a lot to do with Statistics that we engineers need to use/touch/consider.

So, Cheung, perhaps I use/think/know more Statistics than you realize

Originally posted by Cheung
People on this board demand complete answers that fit nicely in to a package. Sorry to tell you that many times in medicine, you don't get that nice package. Medicine and biological systems are not nice things you can manufacture, build, test to tight tolerances. This is reality - all I suggest for the WC are measures to reduce risk(and have psychological benefit). [/B]

After hearing your verdicts, as well as that of Colin, I'm becoming somewhat
concern about the Health Care system in H.K., as well as my own well being here,
now that I can't escape dealing with some medical doctors in my life ;-)

 

[raymond]

Originally posted by Cheung
That just tells me you haven't got enough information. You want more information on what? effectiveness? the proof exists already!! Why would WHO lift their travel advisory alert on some areas?

I suspect WHO is under a lot of political pressure not to be the "bad" guy.
Just look at the reaction from Canada, when WHO gave travel advisory alert
on Toronto.

The travel advisory alert is perhaps more like stock analysts recommendation.
Ever wonder how you can make any $$ with their recommendations? They tell
you to "strong" buy when the stock has already peaked, and "hold" when the
stock is heading to bottom.

 

[raymond]

Some references

What the "Experts" say:
Psycologists say people tend to hear what they want to hear. The following
are what I hear. What about you?

"In a case where you don't understand the true risks, you must take
maximum measures," David Heymann, head of WHO's communicable
diseases unit said.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...515/hl_afp/health_sars_who_blood_030515144911

"We can only sleep well when the whole world is rid of this virus or more
likely a vaccine is available. That will take years," said Khaw Boon Wan, a
[Singapore] cabinet minister who is the head of a task force to tackle SARS.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030515/hl_nm/sars_hospital_dc_1

''Most of the other travel health risks we deal with are well known,'' notes
Bradley Connor, incoming president of the travel medical society. ''Yes,
there are changes and resistance to medications, but these are things
we're able to keep up with and have a pretty good handle on. Emerging
infectious diseases, by definition, catch us by surprise. ''It's better to err
on the side of caution. If we're overreacting and someone cancels a trip
because of it, that's bad. But it's worse if we didn't act and put someone in harm's
way of contracting a serious and potentially lethal disease.''
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/20030509/en_usatoday/5144657

"...a majority of the IBF Executive Board felt on balance that a postponement
was the responsible decision. "
http://www.worldbadminton.net/getstory.asp?id=835

Points to Ponder
Think about the following:

Number one on the list
So far, no one tell me if IBF can enforce the health check at all points of departure
or even point of entry.

Done by a doctor, can you believe that
BEIJING - A doctor with the SARS (news - web sites) virus has been arrested
for allegedly violating a quarantine and starting an outbreak that infected
more than 100 people in a northern Chinese city, police said Thursday, in
the first known arrest for spreading the flu-like disease.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030515/ap_on_he_me/sars_doctor_arrested_2

WASHINGTON - Keeping SARS (news - web sites) from spreading in the
United States is straining the already besieged public health system, and
it's partly a matter of luck that this newest killer so far has been contained here.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030513/ap_on_he_me/sars_public_health_6

Some border Shutting is already happening.
MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia diagnosed its first case of SARS (news - web sites)
and took emergency steps to prevent the killer epidemic spilling over from
China, with a threatened ban on flights and restrictions across the vast land
border.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030508/hl_afp/health_sars_russia_030508165600

What Children Do
Children always like to do this trick - if there's something they want,
they'd ask their mom(dad) first. If they don't get what they want, they'd ask
their dad(mom).
If WC is the only one that is NOT canceled while ALL other sports are
canceled, would people ask why WC is NOT canceled? Most likely, they would
still maintain all these other sport organizations had made a terrible mistake.

Role of WHO
It seems WHO may be under a lot of political pressure to give travel advisory
alert on any city/countries - look at recent objection from Canada. What is
WHO actually afraid of? Information may not be available to all countires -
No data or info. to Taiwan as it's not part of U.N.
"If we could have support from the WHO, we would not lose so many lives
and we wouldn't need to quarantine so many people."
Taiwan was ousted from the United Nations (news - web sites) in 1971 and was
replaced by China.

Diagnostic Test:
Developed by Artus in collaboration with the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for
Tropical Medicine (BNI) in Hamburg, Germany, the test was introduced by Artus
in April to countries in Asia and Europe and has been provided to laboratories
under the direction of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other major
clinical sites conducting studies on the SARS virus. Initial results of different
sample types (sputum, swabs, stool and tissue) from these WHO laboratories are
promising.
The test is based on a highly sensitive technology known as polymerase chain
reaction (PCR), which directly detects the virus in patient samples, and
produces results in two hours.
see http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030515/cgth034_1.html

 

[Cheung]

So, I take it you think we should stop sporting events for the years it will take to find a cure for Coronavirus infection.

Tell me a country in which the health system it doesn't claim itself bursting at the seams

If really travel is so bad, why aren't all passenger flights and international flights stopped now. Includes those between nonSARS countries as somebody (not me) has pointed out that there is even a risk of people transmitting infection in transit.

If WHO is advising maximal measures, why isn't the majority of the population wearing a N95/N100 mask going out. In particular, are you going out at all? Have you avoided meeting people and crowded places because of atypical pneumonia (under WHO advice)?

It's not the job of the IBF to enforce screening at borders. That's a job for immigration. I recommended daily checks for all the delegation for the WC should it have proceeded. Do you think that is an irresponsible action?

Countries affected by SARS are reacting hard. Infectious diseases come and go. It wouldn't be surprising if Coronavirus made another comeback within the year. How long are you going to wait for?

Your Chinese doctor should have known better. Bad apples will tend to make headlines. It was a doctor form China who was the index case for HK. Professional badminton players don't work in hospitals..as far as I know.

What Moscow did is what they did for their country. Other countries haven't done it.

Not really sure on your point about children.....

You have to ask the WHO about their political pressures. I am in no way able to give a comment on that.


The PCR test is also known to show up negative when a person has the virus. (false negative). Initial results are not definitive tests. Here's what the WHO site says:

Principally, existing PCR tests are very specific but lack sensitivity. This means that negative tests cannot rule out the presence of the SARS virus in patients. Furthermore, contamination of samples in laboratories in the absence of laboratory quality control can lead to false positive results.

The point on increased frequency with travel is correct. That is the point of screening. Now if you not satisfied with the measures in place already by the immigration departments, why have you not expressed disatisfaction at those systems as travel is still occurring.

After hearing your verdicts, as well as that of Colin, I'm becoming somewhat
concern about the Health Care system in H.K., as well as my own well being here,
now that I can't escape dealing with some medical doctors in my life ;-)

There's an implicit meaning in your statement and can be viewed as a personal attackl I strongly invite you to retract that statement. You have your choice in which doctors you want to see and don't want to see. One can consider that different doctors have differing opinions, even in the US.

Well put. You already said it's in the initial stage. So, why not have a bit more patience? It's not life imprisonment, is it?

you misinterpreted the statement. Not the inital stages of disease pattern and spread. The inital stages of infection of an individual.

Private companies can do those other checks as well.

Mentioning the risk of terrorism, sorry for not being clear, that was referring to the baseline risk of terrorism. Even when on 'alert' for possible activities, are flights being stopped? I don't want to go further with this part because then we start deviating too far away.

I do believe every person will die someday in their lifetime! But your genetic material can survive..........

But the idea of this screening is flawed... It admits the possibility of infection
among some individuals. By the time he is screened out (based on development
of symptoms), countless other may have be infected by him alone.

Well, no screening test is perfect. I take your point. But if it really is so ineffectual why bother setting this up as some of our Asian countries have done. And the cross country transmission is very low (now the disease entity has been discovered and we know more about it)

I get the impression from BFer's that coronavirus has to be eradicated totally. Low as possible risk, right? Apologies if I misinterpreted that. There was a centre in UK that had a lot of resources put in to look for a cure for the common cold. Don't know what happened to the project but there doesn't seem to be a cure now. Granted that certain drugs are available now that weren't available then....

Why do you keep coming back to compare with HIV? Can you please establish the argument that this is an "apple to apple" comparison?

HIV is a RNA virus...so is coronavirus, as is Hep A, Hep C, Hep G. Apologies, Hep B is a DNA virus.

The extra information I was referring to is the information we have gained over the last couple of months.

Finally, I like to add I never stated or acted like everything was hunkydory with SARS and that there was/is no danger. I have always maintained the WC could have gone ahead with proper screening and checks on delegates. WHO and British health authorities did not say the WC had to be cancelled. That was a decision made by the IBF. Going by the opinion of WHO and British health authorities, my view seems to be consistent with theirs...

(sorry about the disjointed answers - I just couldn't face cutting out and pasting everything so just tried to do it with the points which are less clear)


FYI, something on mass gatherings, but a bit late.
[url]http://www.who.int/csr/sars/guidelines/gatherings/en/[/URL]

 

[cooler]

Originally posted by raymond
I suspect WHO is under a lot of political pressure not to be the "bad" guy.
Just look at the reaction from Canada, when WHO gave travel advisory alert
on Toronto.

The travel advisory alert is perhaps more like stock analysts recommendation.
Ever wonder how you can make any $$ with their recommendations? They tell
you to "strong" buy when the stock has already peaked, and "hold" when the
stock is heading to bottom.

Don't get me steam up about anal-ysts recommendation.

 

[Cheung]

just one last point. there are always going to be differing views and stances on this. This is only natural considering that human beings have different tolerances according to factors like education, upbringing, personal values etc.

I think we've probably gone through the main issues involved. The fact is the IBF took a very conservative stance. A cavalier approach would be one with no precautions. There is also a middle ground. There are always pros and cons of each side. Many times, we have to choose practicality. Sometimes, practicalities are sacrificed. Other times, main objectives in projects are reached with many different solutions.

Here we see an example, different solutions to the same problem. No-one is right or wrong. Both can be correct...

Thanks. This will probably be my last statement on this thread

 

[colin]

I, too, would like to post a final word on this thread. Cheung and I have both personally treated SARS patients in HK and we are both well aware of the risks and serious consequences of a SARS infection.

As a matter of fact, I am sad to have recently lost a medical colleague at my previous hospital to SARS, and now have just heard that another ICU colleague has been diagnosed with SARS, too.....

So believe me when I say I am fully aware of the risks involved. All I am saying is that the general public should be aware that the risk of getting SARS is not high unless you are a health care worker or have cared for someone with SARS. Fortunately the virus needs close contact for transmission, otherwise the whole of HK (or for that matter all of China) would have come down with it by now.

All I am pleading for is for common sense and that we do not allow irrational fear to prevail. Fear and paranoid will lead discrimination against innocent people and does not help in the battle against SARS. And this will be a long war, as SARS will be with us for a long long time, just like HIV. We all have to live with the fact that SARS is not going away soon and will have to adapt our lifestyles to cope accordingly. So does this mean that the WC must be indefinitely postponed until the SARS virus is completely eliminated and there is therefore zero risk of transmission? Of course not, the rational response is that we have to deal with it by instituting adequate screening procedures as recommended by the health authorities and allowing the event to proceed. You cannot have your cake and eat it, too, by allowing air travel and business contacts between SARS affected regions and the UK, for example, and then not allowing the WC to proceed in Birmingham. This decision doesn’t make sense to me at all.

Anyway, I am glad that we all have had an opportunity to air our views in this forum. Funny thing is I came here to check out the views of fellow badminton fanatics on purely badminton issues, like getting tips on my lousy backhand, and never expected to post anything on SARS at all....

In the end, we can agree to disagree, but I hope no one takes anything I have posted personally.

 

[raymond]

Originally posted by Cheung
So, I take it you think we should stop sporting events for the years it will take to find a cure for Coronavirus infection.

No, that's not what I propose. The outbreak just happened "yesterday". I'm
just saying we should take a breather before we rush into anything longer term.
But I don't think we should pretend nothing has happened either.

Originally posted by Cheung
If really travel is so bad, why aren't all passenger flights and international flights stopped now. Includes those between nonSARS countries as somebody (not me) has pointed out that there is even a risk of people transmitting infection in transit.
[/B]

I think we're trying to control the risk, which may or may not materialize. The
topic of this thread is about badminton and IBF's decision. In all due respects,
as much as I like/enjoy the sports, it doesn't pass the risk/reward analysis; of
course, it's a very personal subjective one. No one (I believe) in this forum could
have any influences, directly or otherwise, on travel policy of any government.

Shutting down borders/flights is already happening in some countries (see Russia).
Others used more liberated approach. In order to travel to another country,
I suppose one usually needs a visa. Perhaps the visa approval process has
changed, such that less people can get a tourist visa these days. Do we have
any visibility in this arena in visa control?

Originally posted by Cheung
If WHO is advising maximal measures, why isn't the majority of the population wearing a N95/N100 mask going out.
[/B]

If I were in H.K., Taiwan, China etc, I probably would. And I think a lot of people
(as shown on TV) in those localities are already wearing ones.

Originally posted by Cheung
In particular, are you going out at all? Have you avoided meeting people and crowded places because of atypical pneumonia (under WHO advice)?
[/B]

Yes, I'm still going out. And yes, I along with my family, have already avoided
going to certain places, especially crowded places.

Originally posted by Cheung
It's not the job of the IBF to enforce screening at borders. That's a job for immigration.
[/B]

That's precisely my point. IBF can't make decision based on things they can't
control. And don't forget that, as time goes by, this SARS situation may get
better or worse, but IBF had to make a decision something like 2-3 weeks ago,
when the whole SARS thing is at this "peak". And I believe it's a postponement
as opposed to cancellation - IBF is taking a "Wait and See" attitude.

Originally posted by Cheung
I recommended daily checks for all the delegation for the WC should it have proceeded. Do you think that is an irresponsible action?
[/B]

Personally, I'd not take those checks too seriously, that is until I learn more
about their adequacy.

Originally posted by Cheung
Countries affected by SARS are reacting hard. Infectious diseases come and go. It wouldn't be surprising if Coronavirus made another comeback within the year. How long are you going to wait for?
[/B]

Personally, waiting for another year or two is just fine with me. Researchers
are working on this day and night already. We should give them some time to
bear fruits.

Originally posted by Cheung
Your Chinese doctor should have known better. Bad apples will tend to make headlines. It was a doctor form China who was the index case for HK. Professional badminton players don't work in hospitals..as far as I know.
[/B]

Your focus is primarily on the hospitals, which is understandable, as they're related
to your profession. But what happens to those patients before they're checked
into the hospitals? Or checked out of the hosiptals for that matter (given the
virus could be in their bodies for up to a month)?

Originally posted by Cheung
What Moscow did is what they did for their country. Other countries haven't done it.
[/B]

Not yet.

Originally posted by Cheung
Not really sure on your point about children.....
[/B]

I was trying to make a point that people (probably myself included) tend to
look for "evidence" that support their own views, and ignore everything else.
Just like the kids - all they need is one of the parents supporting their wants.
This comment is directed at the comment about different decisions made by
different sporting organizations, and people are taking their own picks to support
their arguments.

Majority doesn't always translate to "Right" decision. We need to assess
situations on their own merits. Just because everybody is wrong in something
doesn't make that something right - although I won't go so far to say all these
sport organizations had made terrible mistakes, as we had already argued this
point before.

Originally posted by Cheung
The PCR test is also known to show up negative when a person has the virus. (false negative). Initial results are not definitive tests. Here's what the WHO site says:
[/B]

I'd accept imperfect solutions . I'm more concerns about the unnecessary
loss of lives as well as economic fallouts. However, between 0-100%, other than
100% everything else is imperfect. When evaluating any measures, is it closer
to 0% or to 100%?

Originally posted by Cheung
The point on increased frequency with travel is correct. That is the point of screening. Now if you not satisfied with the measures in place already by the immigration departments, why have you not expressed disatisfaction at those systems as travel is still occurring.
[/B]

We've already drifted off-topic . Beside, if my bringing up all
the "imperfections" in the travel inspection policy is not enough a statement about
my dissatisfaction at those systems, I don't know what else I can say...

Originally posted by Cheung
There's an implicit meaning in your statement and can be viewed as a personal attackl I strongly invite you to retract that statement.
[/B]

Yes, I'd pick up your invitation and retract that statement. I do hope that you
and Colin don't bring up again the sweeping statement that says "people taking a
cautious stance should hide in toilets in fear, etc"...

Originally posted by Cheung
Mentioning the risk of terrorism, sorry for not being clear, that was referring to the baseline risk of terrorism. Even when on 'alert' for possible activities, are flights being stopped? I don't want to go further with this part because then we start deviating too far away.
[/B]

The difference, again, is in the efficacy of the counter-measures. I believe today
we have a better system to fight terrorists than to fight SARS (at least as far
as airport safety is concerned).

Along this line, I'd like to make one parting comment - just because something bad
hasn't happened this far doesn't mean it won't happen in the near future, if we
know/assert that there's a flaw somewhere in the system. Prior to 911, we all
know the airport security is flawed, yet nothing was done, until it's too late. Now
that traveling continues with what I view as defective screening process, I'd cross
my fingers and see how things work out....

Originally posted by Cheung
I do believe every person will die someday in their lifetime! But your genetic material can survive..........
[/B]

Interesting. I never thought much about my genetic material...

Originally posted by Cheung
Well, no screening test is perfect. I take your point. But if it really is so ineffectual why bother setting this up as some of our Asian countries have done. And the cross country transmission is very low (now the disease entity has been discovered and we know more about it)
[/B]

Desperate situations often times drive people to adopt desperate measures,
even though those measures may not be effective at all. But I do hope I'm
wrong here. We'd have a better idea over time.

Originally posted by Cheung
I get the impression from BFer's that coronavirus has to be eradicated totally. Low as possible risk, right?
[/B]

Life goes on... Regardless of the outcome of this fight against SARS, all decisions
in the future should be risk/reward driven, I believe.

Originally posted by Cheung
WHO and British health authorities did not say the WC had to be cancelled. That was a decision made by the IBF. Going by the opinion of WHO and British health authorities, my view seems to be consistent with theirs...
[/B]

One can view IBF's decision in a more positive light - it's called initiative,
something welcome in corporate environment . On another note, what if
WHO and British Heath authorities did advise stopping the events? The focal
point of all these arguments would probably shift one level, but we probably
would still go throught similar points. This goes back to my "Childern" analogy.
Silence of WHO and British Health authorities are treated as a blessing.

Beside, I see at IBF website that there're countries withdrawing from WC.
I suppose they won't be China, or Indonesia or any of the top players (maybe
except Danmark). We don't really know how many withdrawals. So here remains
the question of participation too.

Anyhow, I think you're right. We spent enough time talking about this issue that
we as BF'er can't do nothing to change. I do appreciate that everyone participated
remained civilized .

Now back to other threads....

 

[kwun]

this thread has become an unproductive rathole. i am closing it.

the original intent was to see how many people are for and against cancelling of the WC, and from the poll result, we have a pretty clear split.