Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) took the world by surprise and caught many health professionals off guard. On a positive note, this novel infection has uncovered many flaws and, inevitably, highlighted where reforms in our healthcare delivery systems need to be made. There were many similarities on the handling of SARS and the impact it had in Canada and Hong Kong:1 both places had never faced an epidemic that took such a direct toll on healthcare workers. Surveillance and warning systems were inadequate in preventing the outbreaks in both places. Their clinical and public health systems were not readily prepared for an emerging infectious disease outbreak.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Toronto carried out a postal …