Don Kenobi
/ 83.5.240.* / 2009-04-27 13:09
there is no doubt that the last thing the world needs at this point is a flu pandemic, or even the perceived risk of one. In addition to the human suffering, such an outbreak will have serious economic effects, not least for the travel and related industries.
Even worse, it carries the risk of countering every message world leaders have been attempting to put out about how to salvage the global economy.
That's because, in the event of a true pandemic, the logical response is quarantines, isolation and withdrawal, otherwise known as health protectionism.
Asian nations, acutely sensitized by the SARS epidemic several years ago, have been quick to implement screening measures at their airports. Japan has taken to running temperature scans of incoming airline passengers. China has moved to ban live pork imports from Mexico and parts of the U.S.