The difference in responses and the regimens between China, Singapore,and their Asian-Pacific neighors relative to those government officials in America and Europe demonstrates a major policy and mind gap between the gweillos/ Westerners/Europeans and the Chinese about sleuthing, containing, and eliminating viruses and the spread of communicable diseases.
This difference of approach is based on a fundamental divergence in attitude about worrying about the collective good as an overarching imperative and utmost priority as opposed to worrying about individual rights in the name of privacy and a Europeanized version of "civil liberties" and so-called "human rights."
This fight against the swine flu is playing out with a clear divergence in draconian measures imposed by China and the "PC" position practiced by some Western officials. The Chinese, in my opinion, have had more experiences with containing contagious disease, and their record has always been about the "collective good," i.e. "da qu mien;" not "PC" nor "PR" spin.
Given the Chinese experience and history with SARS, avian flu, and other epidemic, do you blame them ?
In my book, the science of epidemiology is one which is "hit and miss" and requires some luck, and some science. Sleuthing to find the cause and spread of contagious disease is not an exact science.
Respectful scientists can differ; but I would much rather go wrong on the side of overcaution than to go wrong on the side of carelessness and laxness.
China has 1.3 billion inhabitants; and it has some of the densest and most populated cities in the world. Cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen are hubs for international travellers. And given that the swine flu is ascertained to have originated and flared up outside of China, it is logical and prudent for China to act vigorously and vigilantly.
Already, Chinese authorities have quarantined at least 50 Mexican nationals suspected of carrying the swine flu virus and isolated them in their hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
This shut-down and draconian measures were executed because the country cannot afford to lose on this. Besides, there does not appear to be a tinge of racism in this.
Anyone with these symptoms or contact with someone with the swine flu are immediately quarantined. And these include Taiwanese, Indians, Singaporeans, Koreans, Japanese, Sri-Lankans, Arabs...... and not just Europeans, Mexicans, Americans. It is the Western news media which are hyping on this controversy and protests by the Europeans and American health authorities, as well as the Mexican foreign minister.
Rather than overemphasize on individual rights, and despite all the fulmigation, Chinese authorities are doing what they have to do in order to fight the spread of this virus, which may have the tendency of mutation and morphing into a more virulent and deadly strain.
Look at the "lock-down" in Mexico city; the Mexican foreign minister has no cause nor bases to protest.
Read the latest about the quarantine inside China inside China, i.e. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou.
These are densely populated cities, not unlike Mexico City. Cities with over 10 million people packed in subways, streets, alleys, food places.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/NewsBreak/20090503153119/Article/index_html
More to the story from MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30471035/
Amazingly, the Red Cross through Atlanta's Center for Disease Control, has a website which also explained the method of containing the spread of viruses, and in it, the use of quarantine is advocated.
http://www.redcross.org/preparedness/cdc_english/IsoQuar.asp
Overall, when you are fighting a fire, or trying to catch a criminal, or fighting an epidemic... you have to do what you have to do.
I think Americans are dumb and stupid and always play the "PC" side.
It applies in identifying suspects in crime and never mentioning their race.
Hey, if the serial bank robber on a crime spree preying on victimns is a Black, White, Brown or a Yellow..... you need to have that information on race in order to catch him. It is only good common sense.
Again, with regard to the swine flu, if more Mexicans come in contact with the virus from Mexican city, is it not logical to identify and isolate them more as potential carriers of the virus ?
Again, we must underscore that along with Mexicans and Europeans, China and HKG are also quaranteeing Taiwanese, Malaysians, SIngaporeans, or anyone who came in contact or were close to the Mexican traveller afflicted with the Swine Flu on that China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai to HKG.
That's not "PC;", i.e.playing "political correctnes"; but that is the right thing to do.
HKG epidemiologists ought to be applauded for being thorough and vigilant. HKG's Wanchai, Central, Tsimsatsui, Causeway Bay, Mongkok, Yaumatei, and other densely populated districts are too perilous to take a chance. Imagine if the virus spreads through contact on the underground MRT, or onto the trains headed to Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta region. All hell freezes when that happens.
Compare Americans with their "PC" bullshit. They have not even introduced thermal imaging equipment at their airports processing international travellers. They even asked their border guards across the U.S.-Mexican not to wear masks in order to be "PC." Wait until the Swine Flu mixed up with the HIV-AIDS virus. Imagine AIDs mixed with the swine flu.
All hell will freeze. When that happens, my butt will be outta San Francisco pronto.
You can have this chi-chi city by the Bay full of loonies, crazies, and uber-liberals. Yesterday,while the rest of the world is fighting this viral scourge, some San Franciscans in the streets were vigorously protesting eating "foie gras" and paraded before a French restaurant, proclaiming that eating "foie gras," i.e. goose liver, is abusing the geese.
Gimme a break.
SingaBore (the derisive term for Singapore) may suck; but better suck than be sorry. :-) I say, worry about the "da qu mien," the collective good.
