The importance of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has outweighed that of the US-Iraq war in people's minds. SARS might appear terrifying, but the number of fatalities so far stands at only a few hundred. If those in power can respect professionalism, methods for diagnosing, curing and preventing SARS should be developed very quickly through international coopera-tion. At the moment, calming people's feelings is the most important thing. Creating panic among ourselves will only cause serious damage to the country.
SARS is caused by a new type of coronavirus, which rapidly sabotages the human body's immune system and starts to reproduce. It makes inroads right into the lungs. It is not yet known whether the virus is extremely destructive during reproduction, or whether the body's immune system reacts so drastically to it that it damages the internal organs, causing breathing failure and even death.
The SARS virus apparently changes very quickly -- six strains have been identified so far. We also know that the coronavirus cannot stand heat. The children who often come down with colds might be relatively less prone to SARS or might have lighter symptoms if they do get infected. We also know that only by staying in a closed room or having close contact with patients can one easily contract the disease. It means that it takes a large quantity of virus cells for one to get infected.
I therefore offer the following viewpoints.
First, according to the basic principle that organisms always seek to prolong their lives, we can believe that the SARS virus has no intention of killing its host because the virus cannot form an independent cell by itself and it must rely on the host cell for survival. It keeps mutating in order to lengthen its life. Therefore, we can reasonably believe that it will become milder and milder, allowing the host to stay alive to spread the virus.
Second, since the cause of SARS is coronavirus, the modes of transmission should be akin to those of the flu. The quantity of virus cells and one's natural immunity should be important factors in whether one will be infected.
In terms of prevention, engaging in more outdoor activities and staying away from SARS-affected patients is the best policy. Not going to high-risk areas and avoiding contact with patients is the second best method. If one must go to dangerous areas or come into contact with patients, one must wear masks and frequently wash one's hands.
Third, diagnosing and curing a disease early is the golden rule. Conducting a self-evaluation and seeking medical help as early as possible can save lives. The flu caused by another coronavirus does not cause a fever, which means the virus cannot stand heat. SARS patients have a fever because the mutated coronavirus triggers overly strong human immune reactions. We can reasonably deduce that immediate exposure to sunlight or a hot bath after being exposed to the SARS virus, or receiving fevertherapy when symptoms begin to appear, will achieve good results.
Fourth, to avoid infection, the government should encourage people to spend more time at home or outdoors. Use electronic communications more and reduce the number of gatherings. Use mass transportation systems less.
And fifth, humans normally can recover from a virus-induced disease. Patients should seek medical treatment to protect their lung tissue as early as possible.
In the long run, a standard remedy will appear. We even can expect the virus to become milder. People do not have to panic.
Chen Fu-min is director of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Taipei Chungshan Hospital and the hospital's chairman.
Translated by Jackie Lin
As the world’s nations sailed the River Seine during the opening ceremony for the Olympics last month, Taiwan once again suffered the enduring humiliation of being the sole country forced to sail under a fictitious name and flag. “Chinese Taipei” is not merely a fake place, but part of a strategic campaign by China to conquer Taiwan in the minds of the global public, forcing the international community to accept the fiction that China has authority over Taiwan, as I have written before in the Taipei Times (“Taiwan’s ‘Chinese Taipei’ problem,” May 22, page 8). If Taiwanese wish to be seen as
Air New Zealand Ltd’s decision to ditch its 2030 emissions target suggests more airlines would also have to confront a harsh reality: There is simply not enough sustainable fuel or new, more efficient aircraft. This double whammy has left the world’s commercial carriers, among the planet’s biggest polluters, without their two best decarbonization weapons. Global supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) would be just 0.5 percent of total fuel requirements this year, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. At the same time, Boeing Co and Airbus SE cannot make jets fast enough. Boeing, under pressure from regulators, has slowed output
The Ministry of Education announced recently that it was considering changing the official name of the Minnanyu Language Certification Test, replacing the term Minnanyu (閩南語, “Southern Min [abbreviation of Fujian Province]”) with Taiyu (台語, “Taiwanese”). The ministry said suggestions would be welcome during a 60-day public consultation period. As there is probably no other term in Taiwan that would stir up stronger feelings than “the Taiwanese language,” it is important that the proposed name change is addressed with great care, and through consultation with people directly involved with language history and classification. The terms “the Southern Min language” and “the Taiwanese
Ahead of this year’s presidential election, all three major candidates — William Lai (賴清德), Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) — announced their support for spending 3% of Taiwan’s gross domestic product on defense. This goal dates back to the Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) administration. It is no longer sufficient, nor reassuring to foreign supporters who fear Taiwan is not sufficiently committed to its own defense. At the time of Chen’s election to the presidency in 2000, Taiwan’s defense spending as a share of GDP had been declining for decades. When the United States withdrew from the US-ROC mutual defense treaty