ABSTRACT - Philip Bowring Op-Ed article says outbreak of SARS, which was initially met with denial in China and only sluggish response in Hong Kong, has wound up provoking irrational worldwide fear out of proportion to danger; contends advisories from World Health Orgn, governments, airlines and trade fairs warning against traveling to Hong Kong and Guandong have combined with intense news coverage to make outbreak of SARS seem more dramatic than it really is (M) First there was denial, then a sluggish response and now irrational fear out of proportion to the danger.

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