You’d be a fool to play around with it. That is why Barbadians must today feel a sense of relief and a bit more secure knowing that the Ministry of Health is setting up whatever defences are possible against any entry by the sickness which has claimed hundreds of lives.

SARS is no respecter of countries or people and the Chinese Embassy in Barbados clearly understands that the decision to stop the entry of Chinese workers contracted to work here has been made purely in the interest of safeguarding the health of this tiny island.

In a statement Thursday, the ambassador of the People’s Republic of China, Yang Zhikuan said: “In the light of the present eruption of SARS epidemic in China and some other countries in the world, we at the Chinese Embassy understand the relevant precautions taken by the Barbadian Health authority and will provide due cooperation.”

But SARS certainly has put a scare in us. Last week the Ministry of Health issued an advisory to Barbadians about travel to Asian countries and Canada.

Canada’s largest city, Toronto, has been staggering from a World Health Organisation (WHO) travel warning due to SARS. (This advisory has since been lifted by WHO)

There have been cancellations everywhere. Conventions have been called off and shops have been mostly empty. This is bound to translate into heavy body blows for the economy. The manager of a computer store in Toronto, put it this way: “The City has basically emptied.”

Since SARS first appeared in Toronto from Asia just over a month ago, the city’s 400,000-strong Chinese community - the biggest outside of China and Hong Kong - has been hardest hit, with restaurants and shopping malls reporting business down by 70 per cent.

Imagine the damage that could be wrought on this country and people.

Britain, France, Ireland, Australia and Jamaica already have issued warnings similar to the WHO advisory.

In the Middle East, a travel and working hub for millions from East Asia, officials are enforcing tough precautions and initiating public awareness campaigns in a bid to prevent the SARS virus from entering their countries.

At Bahrain’s international airport arriving passengers began filling out forms proving they have spent at least ten days outside infected countries. If they cannot prove it, they are barred from entering the tiny Gulf island state.