Do you think Shanghai and Beijing are safe (re. Sars)?
 

Hello! I am travelling to Shanghai and Beijing for 9 days (part business, part pleasure)on April 23rd. Most of the posts I have read regarding SARS is in reference to Hong Kong - can anyone comment on the cities I am travelling to? Has anyone been recently? Thanks for your advice.

Just returned on March 21st from Beijing and Shanghai (and Hong Kong) we heard very little about SARS while we were there and saw very little evidence of any fears. We saw a few masks, but no more than the normal number of Chinese who wear them as a precaution to the smog and pollution. Personally, unless it is absolutely necessary, I would postpone the trip. The 10 days following our return was very uncomfortable with the fear of unkwowingly having contracted the virus. As it turns out we are OK but I would not want to relive those 10 days!!<BR>I know there will be people criticizing my opinion and telling you that you can get hit by a car at home But, having lived through it, it was not a pleasant &quot;wait and see&quot; time.

I just spoke to a business contact in Shanghai and he says Shanghai and Beijing are safe at this point, but don't go to the south!! Our tour starts in Guilin and he said &quot;don't go there!&quot;

While doing some research for a future trip I noticed that Tauck tours have cancelled their April tours to China. <BR><BR>My daughter was to have left mid-May for a month long internship in Chengdu. The University has cancelled that trip and will reimburse all of the non-refundable deposits which were made by students.

We were supposed to leave this Sunday<BR>(April 13) for China via Hong Kong.<BR>Cancelled 10 days ago due to SARS.<BR>Just read in the papers recently that the WHO and other orgs scolded China for not fessing up to the truth of the spread of SARS in all of China. It has been infecting Beijing and other places <BR>but not properly reported.<BR>When everyone gets their act together on this, I will gladly rebook as I am <BR>depressed over this whole issue as the trip was something I looked forward to for years.