*Can't tell the players without the historical playbook.
It wasn't pretty, but it was quite some time ago, and eventually people forgot about it
THE SARS EPIDEMIC AND ITS AFTERMATH IN CHINA: A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
by
Yanzhong Huang.
In November 2002, a form of atypical pneumonia called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) began spreading rapidly around the world, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the ailment “a worldwide health threat.” At the epicenter of the outbreak was China, where the outbreak of SARS infected more than 5,300 people and killed 349 nationwide (Ministry of Health, 2003). History is full of ironies: the epidemic caught China, at first, unprepared to defeat the disease 45 years after Mao Zedong bade “Farewell to the God of Plagues.” (((God or Plagues eventually bid farewell to Mao Zedong, for all men are mortal and the gods aren't.)))
The SARS epidemic was not simply a public health problem. Indeed, it caused the most severe socio-political crisis for the Chinese leadership since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Outbreak of the disease fueled fears among economists that China’s economy was headed for a serious downturn. A fatal period of hesitation regarding information-sharing and action spawned anxiety, panic, and rumor-mongering across the country and undermined the government’s efforts to create a milder image of itself in the international arena. (((What goes around, comes around.)))
As Premier Wen Jiabao pointed out in a cabinet meeting on the epidemic, “the health and security of the people, overall state of reform, development, and stability, and China’s national interest and international image are at stake (Zhongguo xinwen wang, 2003a).” In the weeks that followed, the Chinese government launched a crusade against SARS, effectively bringing the disease under control in late June and eliminating all known cases by mid-August. (((Not too bad. Sure beats dying.)))
While clearly a test for the public health infrastructure of China, the course of the epidemic also raised crucial questions about the capacity and dynamics of the Chinese political structure and its ability to address future outbreaks. What accounted for the initial government decisions to withhold information from the public and take little action against the disease, and then the subsequent dramatic shift in government policy toward SARS? Why was the government able to contain the spread of SARS in a relatively short period? What lessons has the government drawn from the crisis?
A political analysis of the crisis not only demonstrates crucial linkages between China’s political system and its pattern of crisis management but also sheds light on the government’s ability to handle the next disease outbreak. While problems in the formal institutional structure and bureaucratic capacity accounted for the initial official denial and inaction, the institutional forces unleashed from the terrain of state-society relations led to dramatic changes in the form and content of government policy toward SARS. Through mass mobilization, the government successfully brought the disease under control. While these developments are encouraging, China’s capacity to effectively prevent and contain future infectious disease outbreaks remains uncertain... (((Indeed it does, but here we are with Coronavirus, Volume Two: The Return to Wuhan.)))
The initial failure to inform the public heightened anxieties, fear, and widespread speculation. On February 8, reports about a “deadly flu” began to be sent via short messages on mobile phones in Guangzhou. In the evening, words like bird flu and anthrax started to appear on some local Internet sites (South China Morning Post, 2003). On February 10, a circular appeared in the local media that acknowledged the presence of the disease and listed some preventive measures, including improving ventilation, using vinegar fumes to disinfect the air, and washing hands frequently. Responding to the advice, residents in Guangzhou and other cities cleared pharmacy shelves of antibiotics and flu medication. In some cities, even the vinegar was sold out. The panic spread quickly in Guangdong, and was felt even in other provinces... (((Etc etc, so this is gonna get louder before it gets quieter, even in the best-case scenario.)))
