Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-05-13-Speech-2-139"
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"en.20030513.6.2-139"2
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"Mr President, Mr Stefanis, two Dutch hospital workers who had been working in China voluntarily went into quarantine on their return to the Netherlands. Their sense of responsibility should be an example to the authorities, not only those in the Netherlands, but also to their European counterparts. The measures against SARS are inadequate. Unfortunately no other conclusion is possible at the moment. SARS is a disease whose risks and dangers are still largely unknown. The mortality rate was initially estimated at 4%, now there are estimates of 19%. Infection was originally thought only to occur through the air. Now it seems that the virus can enter the human body in various other ways. We must take the greatest of care in dealing with SARS.
Firstly, and it has been said many times before, there must be joint action. Confidence in the government is important. We cannot have one country maintaining that there really is nothing the matter and another making quarantine compulsory, that does not create confidence. We must also have joint travel advice because there certainly is something the matter.
Secondly, the measures must, of course, be convincing. The disease has proved more serious and more infectious than was thought. It is a good thing to trace people who may be carriers, but our first concern is, of course, to prevent infection occurring in the European Union. Italy is quite right to make quarantine compulsory for people coming from areas of risk. Everyone who says that draconian measures do not offer definitive protection are right as well of course, but this does not make it the false security that is being suggested. These measures do help to reduce the number of carriers. You prevent panic by taking adequate measures and not by acting as if there is nothing amiss.
Mr President, the European Union and the Member States must now take responsibility. Cases of SARS have also been discovered in Greece and Finland. We cannot allow quarantine to be an individual decision of responsible people. Let the sense of responsibility of some hospital workers act as an example.
Finally, Mr Stefanis, you have heard in this debate that there is a very great consensus for a stricter and clearer approach. What are you going to do as a result of this debate?"@en1
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