Swine Flu: Lessons from SARS

(Business Week – Pete Engardio)

The SARS outbreak showed how quickly industry can get slammed. But fears of widespread trade devastation are probably overblown

Narayanan Viswanathan knows firsthand not to underestimate the economic impact of a potential pandemic such as the swine flu outbreak that has been spreading from Mexico. Viswanathan was in Taiwan as manager of a software development project for carmaker China Motor in spring 2003 when word first spread that an outbreak of a deadly, unknown virus dubbed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was striking victims in East Asia.

It took just three weeks for much of Asia’s economy to simply shut down. Airlines canceled 40% of their flights in and out of cities like Taipei, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, and Shanghai. Major conferences were called off. Luxury hotels and shopping malls were empty. And the legendary Canton Trade Fair in Guangzhou that April was a complete bust. Viswanathan, who was engaged to be married, flew back to India on China Airlines along with other Indian technicians working on the job, which they finished from Bangalore. Read more here.