That was a time when we were really working together as an international community of academics, politicians, public health experts. Everybody really was so focused,

This change to a higher phase of alert is a signal to governments, to ministries of health and other ministries, to the pharmaceutical industry and the business community that certain actions now should be undertaken with increased urgency and at an accelerated pace.

Tobacco is the only industry that produces products to make huge profits and at the same time damage the health and kill their consumers.

The international community should treat this as a window of opportunity to ramp up preparedness and response.

All private and public hospitals have been urged to step up infection control measures and report to the [health] department unusual pattern of illness.

New diseases like SARS and bird flu cause anxiety in the community. People get worried, some to the extent that it even affects their health. You feel very sad, and yet you must carry on and maintain your cool in very trying and difficult moments. You have to tough it out.