we are experiencing “a disease that spreads like the common cold but kills 4% of its victims”. As far as I can tell, SARS is here to stay, and it will continue to spread. Will we be able to develop a vaccine or treatment before every person on earth experiences the disease?

will we have to mostly abolish international travel to stop an important vector of the disease? will globalization be one of goods and services only? will we shift more of our existence into cyberspace to reduce contagion? a 4% risk has to be put into perspective.

0.0005 %

risk of death on a dive

0.004 %

risk of death from mountain hiking

0.05 %

risk of death from motor vehicle accident

100 %

risk of eventual death

a master list of infectious diseases is available too.

• Uncategorized