Would you go to Toronto right now?

[Bichon Barb]

I've lived in Central New York for 38 years. Never have seen a stray bullet either. I'm not worried about it either. But I do worry about those stray moose when I visit Canada.

DH and I are due for a weekend in Niagara Falls. Lots of tourists visit the casino. Lots of opportunities to spread germs (slot machines, close contact between people, etc.) I don't think it's a bad idea to think the trip through first.

 

[springsteenmickey]

I don't think it's a bad idea to think the trip through first.

No one is saying that it is a bad idea to think the trip through first but will you post "should I go to NF) Maybe it is me and I see things differently but when I read such post it makes my blood boil. Be serious people, if the people from the CDC in Atlanta were as closed minded as some they would not be in Toronto right now. Is the USA banning all flights coming in from Hong Kong? No one is telling you to come to Toronto, touch everything, lick your fingers immediately, put them in your nose and kiss everybody hello. Hell I'd never do that. Just look at the fact, research and see what all the deaths have in common.

 

[madonna31]

Funny - the US media speaks about SARS in Toronto...the Canadian media speaks about stray bullets in the US?!? (get my point?) The media STRIVES on fear...sadly - it's the only thing that keeps us interested...

I don't think it's a bad idea to think the trip through first.

Good point! On that note - should I *think my next 20 trips through* to the US???

I mean - there may be no stray bullets in your area, but who knows for how long there will be fear in America of another Sept 11 attack happening?!? (geez - one day it's yellow alert, the next it's orange alert...)

I for one stood by the US and travelled there right after the difficult time of September 11 - regardless of what our media warned us of...I guess I only wished that during this difficult time for Canada - our *friends* would be at OUR side...

 

[Leota]

I went to Toronto for 3 days last week - went to dinner in teh CN tower, went to ROM & the Science Center & saw Lion King - It was FNATASTIC! I did do my research, as I have AIDS & my immune system is very, very weak right now. Both from what I read (CDC website & WHO site) & from in depth conversations with my Infectious Disease specialist - I was & am quite comfortable going. I think it is scary & the press is feeding that fear with gasoline - But, as another poster said, I don't live in a vacuum - been positive for 18 years & haven't been a bubble girl & I'm still alive & relatively well. Also, SARS will be pretty much everywhere & probably soon anyways..... (sad to say, but that's the nature of Infectious Disease)

 

[madonna31]

Also, SARS will be pretty much everywhere & probably soon anyways..... (sad to say, but that's the nature of Infectious Disease)

EXACTLY the point I was trying to make earlier...

When just a few people in Canada alone don't think that they can spread SARS and so they continue to go about their everyday lives by going against quarantine's to go to work or write an exam...we are VERY naive to think that this disease can EVER be contained!!!

Might as well not live in a vacumn and just forge ahead with our every day lives!

IMO - this is our modern day plague...who know's how many it may wipe out before they have a cure...

 

[catsrule]

No, but I wouldn't go there before the sars thing either, just have no desire to. I'd rather go south.

 

[springsteenmickey]

No, but I wouldn't go there before the sars thing either, just have no desire to. I'd rather go south

This I can live with, althought you are missing out on an awesome city

 

[DVC-Don]

No, but had no desire to go there before this. But, we did cancel a reservation in Niagara, Canada 2 weeks ago (for July, 2003)due to the Canadian Governments position on the Iraq war.

 

[hpsauce]

I live in downtown Toronto. I think we are upset here because we believe the WHO has made a mistake. I don't blame people for taking the warnings seriously, because that's what the advisories are there for. It's just that there seems to be a disconnect between what the WHO is telling travellers to Toronto and what our health authorities are telling us.

In China and Hong Kong, I believe that schools and some businesses have had to close for periods of time. They have been advised to wear masks. Neither of those things have happened here. I don't know anyone who has altered their normal routine at all, all schools and workplaces are open. Why should travellers wear masks when we have been told not to?

The WHO bases their advisory on "a great risk of transmission locally outside the usual health workers ... and also there is exporting of cases."
http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/04/23/sars/index.html
As far as the authorities know here, this is not the case. No exporting of cases has been confirmed as far as I know. And all cases here are either travel related, health care workers, or can be traced to direct contact with those people or others who caught it from them. Once contact is established, people are quarantined by the health department and can be forced to stay at home if necessary. We have been told to stay home if we have even one of the symptoms. So, I don't see where there's a "great" risk at all.

The officials here were not consulted about the impending advisory. They believe that there are absoluetely no grounds for the advisory. They are most interested in containing the spread of the disease, and have no interest in infecting innocent travellers, so I don't understand why the WHO would have a different opinion.

It's hard for us to understand why it's okay to go on with our lives here as absolutely normal, and it's not okay for travellers to visit here. And the WHO hasn't given an appropriate answer to this yet. So we're upset. If it's not safe, we want to know first; but I really don't think this is the case.

If you don't want to come here, that's fine. But I don't think there's a great risk of contracting SARS here.

hp sauce

 

[grinningghost]

Just for the record, Toronto is a fantastic city, I love it there. I have relatives living there. I would certainly go there again - after the CDC lifts the warning. It's not that I'm desperately afraid of getting SARS, it's just common sense to listen to the experts. Let's see if they can contain it, I believe that's their goal. If we don't take their advice, we might just cause it to spread unnecessarily. I don't consider doing our part to try and control this thing a bad idea. Canadians, rest assured - we still love you.

 

[springsteenmickey]

No, but had no desire to go there before this. But, we did cancel a reservation in Niagara, Canada 2 weeks ago (for July, 2003)due to the Canadian Governments position on the Iraq war

Oh but you turn the other way when it comes to our soft wood lumber

 

[DawnCt]

The purpose of a travel advisory related to the transmission of infectious disease is not only to advise the traveler that there may be some risk to themselves but to limit transmission of the disease to other areas of the country or to another country. The hope is, if the disease remains in the area where it is endemic it will burn itself out. Unfortunately it doesn't look like that is going to happen with SARS, although that is indeed one of the goals for of the advisory. Certainly it would be beneficial to limit the spread of the disease, at least until there is some evidence that it can be eventually limited or controlled by external means. No, I wouldn't go to Toronto or Hong Kong unless I had some very compelling reasons to do so. A business trip or tourism would not be a good enough reason.

 

[madonna31]

Hey DVC-Don...

I'm sorry about our waffling on Iraq. I mean, when you're going up against a crazed dictator, you wanna have your friends by your side. I realize it took more than two years before you guys pitched in against Hitler, but that was different. Everyone knew he had weapons...

 

[PamOKW]

A short time ago someone posted asking whether they should go to an event in Toronto. At that time I thought yes. However, an actual warning by the WHO against traveling to Toronto and MLB's concern about the All-Star game have changed my mind. No, I would not make a trip to Toronto at this time unless it were extremely urgent. It's not an anti-Canada thing, it is heeding a legitimate warning from health experts.

I also agree that beyond concern for personal safety, the more we can do to contain this virus, the better.

 

[DiznEeyore]

Originally posted by springsteenmickey
Ah, NO. Not even close. Just commenting on the ignorance of some who are questioning coming to Toronto because of SARS. No one said anything about being anti-Canadian. Like I posted earlier, would I even not consider going to the US for fear of being shot? Would I post should I go to the US because of Anthrax?

My husband's choice to NOT visit Toronto (and spend time in EXTREMELY CLOSE CONTACT with all those folks flown in from the Orient) is exactly that -- HIS CHOICE. The fact that YOU think it's "ignorant" means exactly less than squat. He'll just stay here in Detroit dodging bullets and cars.

 

[madonna31]

No offense Amy - but if you knew the story behind the post that springsteenmickey was ACTUALLY making that response too:

"I'm thinking you're still pretty worked up over the anti-Canadian stuff over the war. This isn't about that -- and this isn't a U.S./Canada thing."

- you would understand how what you said was totally NOT the point he was getting at...

..but thanks for coming out!!!

This is fun - are we going to get moved to the debate forum ?!?

 

[hpsauce]

Originally posted by PamOKW
A short time ago someone posted asking whether they should go to an event in Toronto. At that time I thought yes. However, an actual warning by the WHO against traveling to Toronto and MLB's concern about the All-Star game have changed my mind. No, I would not make a trip to Toronto at this time unless it were extremely urgent. It's not an anti-Canada thing, it is heeding a legitimate warning from health experts.

The problem is that health experts disagree about the risk. All Canadian health authorities and the CDC disagree with the WHO warning. MLB's concern was directly related to the WHO warning. Which health experts should we choose to believe?

I understand a personal decision not to come here if it's not necessary. It's just that the risk is not as high as it has been made out to be today.

 

[madonna31]

It's just that the risk is not as high as it has been made out to be today.

How true is that!!! I live outside of Toronto, yet no one warned me of not visiting the city?!? How much sense does that make???

If they want to contain this thing as badly as they claim they do...they should warn everyone from visiting Toronto - not just other countries?!?

 

[springsteenmickey]

My husband's choice to NOT visit Toronto (and spend time in EXTREMELY CLOSE CONTACT with all those folks flown in from the Orient) is exactly that -- HIS CHOICE. The fact that YOU think it's "ignorant" means exactly less than squat. He'll just stay here in Detroit dodging bullets and cars

God I love a good debate. I have no problem with your husband canceling his trip with "those folks from the Orient" (boy you make it sound as if the are Leopards). As for the bullets in Detroit - watch CNN at times or some other AMERICAN - not CANADIAN news and they paint Detroit like a battle zone. All that I am saying is that I would go. I wanted to go watch them in the playoffs but they got shot down by the ducks

 

[catsrule]

Originally posted by springsteenmickey
This I can live with, althought you are missing out on an awesome city

I'm sure I am, my sister was there and says it is very nice, and huge!

I just prefer Florida and the Carribean.