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arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

This is Henan specific, I don't know about other provinces. Henan has maybe a half dozen SAR cases. As EGAS mentions, thousands of others have other serious pneumonias that often don't respond to treatment.

Because of the six SARS cases, our college has been thoroughly sprayed with chemicals, I mean thoroughy sprayed. I wouldn't even teach in the classroom today, had class outside. I explaine to the class that the overuse of antibiotics (i think all of us in China know about this???) helps create drug-resistant viruses. (sorry, this should say drug resistant pneumonias)

i told them how how America's military overused chemicals with terrible consequenses for soldiers and civilians until lawsuits made them stop. They actually pretended to agree with me. Is my college the only one spraying? Am I alone in thinking this to be madness.

Okay, how about this...they are buying masks that medically are not good enough to stop viruses. They use the same mask everyday. They take the mask off, and put it back on. Result? They are wearing a great little virus factory over their mouth and nose. Warm, moist, perfect for growing all sorts of little buggers.

Am I going crazy, or do I just live in China.

Oh the May holiday is officially cancelled, but I get a full refund of my plane ticket. This will dent their economy.

Thanks to all for "you know you are in China if..."
Fact is stranger then fiction

Seth · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 575 Location: in exile

Well, antibiotics don't affect viruses, nor do viruses grow on their own, they need a host cell. Anyway, I'm wondering what kind of strange tan lines people are going to have on their faces from wearing masks all day, like a reverse 5 o'clock shadow.
They discovered some SARS cases in a little town 10 minutes from my school, and before the students could enter campus they had to get their temperature taken. Am I nervous? A little!

MyTurnNow · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 860 Location: Outer Shanghai

I just hired a part-time teacher who also works part time and lives on the campus of a school in a nearby town. (My area is pretty free of SARS so far...as far as we know)

He was going to come observe some classes today, but called and sent an e-mail saying he couldn't make it.

Everyone at his school was told that if they leave campus for any reason whatsoever, upon their return they would be diverted to an on-campus facility for a 3-week quarantine.

I fear the hysteria more than the disease.

Also hearing reports of schools imposing similar bans, but of course letting teachers depart and return for their scheduled and lucrative outsourcing contracts in the local public schools. Ya gotta love the Chinese school owner. Wink

MT

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

(I was not using antibiotic in the strict scientific term, but the more general term as anti-infection medicine. For instance, the drug for Herpes, wrongly, I suppose, is called an antibiotic)
I don't believe that there are any antibiotics that are effective against colds. And corona viruses are the common culprit for colds, I believe. This does not stop many doctors from prescribing anti biotics when they shhouldn't, and I am sure China will keep over using antibiotics. Most cases of deaths from pneumoinas ( where the pnuemonia agent is identified) are from streptococcal (sp), bacteria
Why is streptococcal becoming harder to treat?...resistance to antibiotics. I wish China was a little more worried about this. More of a world health risk then SARS http://www.ems.org/antibiotics/antibiotics_public.html
Like Seth said, viruses don't live putside the host. So if SARS is caused by a virus, why are they spraying all the classrooms? An why use antibiotics?
If SARS is caused by a corona virus. I'll wait a while longer to become convinced
http://www.canada.com/toronto/story.asp?id=6C929C38-314B-41CA-A102-27BA340D4B9D

chinasyndrome · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2003 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: More SARS Madness

[quote="arioch36"]

chinasyndrome · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2003 3:41 pm Post subject: Re: get thee behind me, children!

[quote="Seth"]

MyTurnNow · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 860 Location: Outer Shanghai

Arioch,
if nothing else, spraying classrooms gives the appearance of "doing something"...

MT

gmat · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 274 Location: S Korea

[quote="arioch36] So if SARS is caused by a virus, why are they spraying all the classrooms? An why use antibiotics?[/quote]

Chris,

They are spraying the classroom because experts now believe the virus can survive on surfaces for 24 hours (at first they thought only 3 hours). They are not using anti-biotics, doctors are treating Sars patients with anti-viral medicine (Ribavirin has been the main drug used so far) and steroids.

GM

edit: tried to fix the quote but failed Sad

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

ah, I'm still on. Now it may be a miss translation by my FAO's, but antibiotics are being used
(and are sometimes/often used with a serious virus illness because people also tend to get bacterial infections. Of course hospitals are the most dangerous places in the world. Lots of people get sick and die there)
If you get even a sniffle in China, they pack you up to see a doctor, you get an IV full of wonderful things including...antibiotics. In Henan, at least, this hasn't changed. Shanghai too, SOP I just don't know about other places. maybe you could ask and find out? Seriouslly, I would be interested

Ribavirin doesn't dent it in the petri dish.

I DO NOT TRUST THEIR RESTRAINT in regard to their judicious application of chemicals. I trust them less on this matter then i trust the US military, which for 30 odd years soaked all the wool blankets they gave to soldiers to sleep in in DDT.
I want my children to be born with two legs and two eyes, not a joke. Do you know what they are spraying with?

gmat · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 274 Location: S Korea

Chris,
I didn't say Ribavirin was effective Laughing

, but it has been the treatment of choice combined with steroids.

FWIW: At my campus the spray is watered down bleach.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Well that's good news..about the bleach that is. Seriously, no one that speaks english at my school knows. DSidn't smell like bleach

I told them that if they were serious, they need to have a place for them to clean their feet in front of every door, and remove all door knobs/handles. They probably thought I was joking.

Anne-Marie Gregory · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 2:52 am Post subject: No panic here in southern Henan

Well I was the only one standing in the disinfectant aisle of the biggest supermarket in this city yesterday. I was actually buying bleach for my clothes, not to combat SARS though.
Troughs to wipe your feet in sound like a good idea...reminiscent of foot and mouth in Britain. Don't see the idea taking off here at least...only saw 9 people wearing face masks yesterday while wandering around for 3 hours just to get a bit of fresh air....cooped up like this I'll go crazy soon.

MyTurnNow · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 860 Location: Outer Shanghai

One tiny benefit, anyway...the cheap *beep*stards who manage the office tower my school is in have suddenly decided that putting some hand soap in the bathrooms isn't an unreasonable waste of money after all. Why, there's even a _choice_!

When you see free stuff in Chinese bathrooms, you know the shiite must be hitting the fan...

MT