Urbanites calm in face of SARS threat ( 2004-01-07 00:08) (China Daily)
Most of China's urban residents are keeping a cool head in the face of a
possible resurgence in SARS, a recent survey showed.
The survey showed 45.4 per cent of the respondents are "not afraid of" the
return of SARS as they believe that government measures and an improved medical
system put the nation in a good position to fight the disease. But 25.4 per cent
say that they remain "a bit worried.''
The survey was conducted by the Market-Expert (Shanghai) Consultant
Corporation among around 2,200 families in nine major Chinese cities including
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Meanwhile, 66 per cent of the respondents said they will "definitely" take
preventive measures, such as keeping windows open, wearing masks, washing hands
frequently and sterilizing household items, if SARS returns and only less than
10 per cent say they will not take any measures.
The public's attitude is "generally positive," said Wu Bing, a senior
executive of Market-Expert. The majority of the respondents have "a sober mind
and are vigilant but optimistic."
Respondents' optimism mainly comes from their belief in the effectiveness of
the government in handling the outbreak last year and the public's knowledge
about the prevention of the disease, Wu told China Daily.
A more reliable system incorporating governments, public organizations and
volunteers should be put into place to prevent and control any possible crisis
in the future, he said.
Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of respondents also admitted that
they have changed their bad habits, such as spitting and throwing rubbish in
public, according to the survey.
A total of 68 per cent of the interviewed families said that they had kept
washing their hands often since last Spring.
But, at the same time, some good habits that had been introduced during the
SARS outbreak period such as eating separately instead of picking up food with
chopsticks in the same dish did not last long.
A recent report by Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News said that few customers
at local large-scale restaurants eat separately.
In late last May, however, more than half of customers at Shanghai-based
famous Chinese food restaurant chain Merrylin asked for their food to be divided
for each diners , said an earlier report by Shanghai Economic Commission, which
had been encouraging such good habits.
"In our company, we only ate separately during the SARS period, last May and
June, but not after SARS disappeared,'' said Xue Kefeng, a lawyer with Shanghai
Joinway Law Firm.
From mid-July, most lawyers with the firm began to give up such habits when
having meals with their customers, Xue told China Daily.
"It always seems awkward when we eat Chinese food separately,'' Xue said.
The survey by Market-Expert was conducted from late last September, when
Singapore rediscovered the first SARS case, until the end of December.
The results of the survey came out at the same time yesterday as people's
fears rose over a possible return of SARS after a sufferer was discovered
several days ago in Guangzhou.
