WHO's on first?

So now we wait for the press conference...

Ever since the WHO labelled us a plague city, the news coverage in town has changed. Before they were near hysterical with count stats: probable cases - suspected cases - probable AND suspected cases - and the inevitable death count; now the issue is how deeply this will hit Toronto in its WALLET. Biological doom and gloom has been pushed to the back pages - economic doom and gloom is front and centre.

Many say that the WHO over-reacted when they slapped its "Travel Advisory" on Toronto, warning people to not travel here. I'm sure that every disaster movie scenario from The Andromeda Strain, Rabid, The Stand, and Outbreak played itself out in people's heads. Even those who thought the WHO was out to lunch, when faced with the choice of booking their events in Toronto or someplace else that doesn't have the stigma of SARS, will definitely choose someplace else.

Now we wait for the 1pm news conference from Geneva to see if WHO will reverse its Travel Advisory.

Personally I don't think it will happen. Even if the WHO did over-react in Toronto, to cave in and reverse their decision now would discredit any future pronouncements that may be more justified. All the effected city/country would say is "But you did it for Toronto" and bitch and moan and complain about economic impacts, while a public health emergency is underway...

It's safer for the WHO to screw Toronto internationally rather than screw itself by backing down. They will probably justify these actions by [sarcasm] being over-cautious because of the great responsibilities they are charged with...[/sarcasm]

UPDATE: 2:05 PM.

I was wrong. The WHO has lifted the travel advisory, but still considers Toronto a "centre of outbreak." As a resident of the GTA, I feel this is great for business, but already on the radio coverage of the press conference at lunch there was an Asian-accented reporter asking if Beijing will receive the same courtesy of being reviewed before the customary waiting period. This will be politicized further...