Another reason to stop smoking. (Point of View).

People walk the streets of Asian cities wearing surgical facemasks. The U.S. health authorities warn travelers against visiting Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Singapore. Meanwhile, media everywhere push the epidemic panic button for severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as SARS. Ignorance reigns.

There is a vast difference between being prepared and being petrified. Since the virus was first detected last November in Chinas Guangdong province, there have been less than 5,000 diagnosed cases in the entire world. Even considering its relatively high 4% modality rate, SARS seems destined to join West Nile Virus and HIV/AIDS as one more horrendous malady yet hardly cause for global panic.

Diseases of affluence, like heart ailments, and other non-communicable diseases kill almost three times more people each year around the world than all infectious and parasitic diseases combined, according to the World Health Organization. If people are really concerned about their health, they should stop wearing facemasks--which authorities say don't work--or worrying about flying to a certain portion of the world. Instead, they should eat right, stop smoking and get exercise everyday.