What is the chances of picking up SARS if you live in Hong Kong??

[Kaieye]

I suspect that this might be overblown. I think that I have a greater chance winning a lottery ticket worth about $1000.00 at the local 7-11 vs. spending a week roaming all over Hong Kong not wearing a mask. What do you think??


Does any old timers here remember the swine flu scare from the mid 70's?? I still remember getting two shots in the arm to protect myself issued thru the local community college in the Los Angeles area.

 

[Sluggo]

The glitch in your odds is that the lottery ticket wont kill you.

 

[Kaieye]

SARS doesn't kill everyone who comes into contact with. If your in your 20's - 50's, it does not mean a automatic death penalty. I recently spoke with a friend who is a MD and he told me he wouldn't mind visiting Hong Kong for a week. Hell, my niece is living in Hong Kong for the past two months and refuses to leave until her $$ runs out...

 

[HappyPuppy]

Do you remember the worldwide polio epidemic of the 1940's and 1950's? Of course you don't because you are a silly little boy. Don't play the ping pong with diseases. You know nothing.

 

[jacob0401]

The chance you'll catch it is considerable if you don't take precautions and are out mingling with people a lot. (i.e malls, convention centers, constantly out in the streets, etc.)

The possibility that you will die is relatively low. I think 4% overall as determined by the CDC. This is if you even contract SARS in the first place...

 

[AndyHui]

I'm here, I'm alive.

I don't take chances when taking the bus or the MTR to work. I wear a mask on public transport and so does everyone else.

 

[human2k]

Originally posted by: AndyHui
I'm here, I'm alive.

I don't take chances when taking the bus or the MTR to work. I wear a mask on public transport and so does everyone else.

Are there people who don't wear mask's? Isn't it required?

 

[everman]

Well if you hang around someone who is very infectious (with sars) you stand to have a good chance in contracting it. I think it sounds like with some people it's very infectious, whereas with others it is not.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

US Virus Expert Slams SARS Panic

It is likely that SARS requires close contact/droplet spread. The typical surgical mask may be ineffective if such close contact occurs . . . particularly if you wear it under the nose. (I've seen multiple pictures of people wearing their masks inappropriately). Regardless, the typical surgical mask is possibly worthless. You really need an N95-certified mask which is extremely uncomfortable, not reuseable, and expensive. I know some people in the US have been buying them and shipping it to friends/family in HK/China proper.

 

[777php]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
Do you remember the worldwide polio epidemic of the 1940's and 1950's? Of course you don't because you are a silly little boy. Don't play the ping pong with diseases. You know nothing.

I don't think he's a little boy. He posted about getting shots in the mid-70's.

I'd say hold off for a while, unless you really need to go or have friends there now. Even if you don't contract SARS, I would want to enjoy my vacation rather than worrying about it everywhere I went.