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As of May 29, there were 71 suspected or probable cases of SARS in California alone. Considering that, a little healthy fear is probably a good thing. I have definitely been motivated to become more educated about the transmission and symptoms of the disease.

But officials at UC Berkeley seem to have taken a page out of the irrational fear book. I was shocked when UC Berkeley announced a ban on international summer students coming from SARS-affected countries. The decision was made despite the fact that SARS had already arrived in the United States and that both the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization assured that risk of infection was very low. No other U.S. institution had announced the same policy (although some restrict travel to SARS-infected areas), and Berkeley has since renounced the policy. But Berkeley alone adopted this isolationist policy – healthy fear turned into full-blown panic. I guess the rumors are true: Berkeley ain’t for hippies anymore.

In response to this kind of rising irrationality, the CDC has been moved to state: “At this time, CDC does not recommend canceling or postponing classes, meetings or other gatherings that will include persons traveling to the United States from areas with SARS.”

While Berkeley has decided to “welcome” the 124 students already enrolled, it has not made a commitment to accept any additional applicants. The program generally hosts 500 to 600 students – the risk is not going to go up exponentially. Berkeley, and every similar institution, needs to have safety protocols in place, but banning foreigners is like putting a bandage on a wound that has already festered.

Whether it’s SARS, smallpox or any other potentially deadly, infectious disease, we simply need to be ready. That does not mean worrying about a few hundred students who do not even present signs of SARS infection. Being ready means creating an infrastructure that can respond immediately when symptoms do appear.

UCLA has done just that. Chancellor Carnesale sent an open memo to the UCLA community last week assuring that “the necessary protocols are in place in the unlikely event that there is evidence of SARS on the UCLA campus.” The Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center homepage now contains a SARS update page. The page is incredibly detailed and offers advice and protocols for those at risk. More importantly, however, it emphasizes the individual’s responsibility with regard to his or her own health.

UCLA is model for the way institutions should be handling the dangers of SARS. Administrative bodies, be they local or national, should do everything they can to protect the persons under their jurisdiction. They should have emergency procedures in place. They should make information available to the public. They should emphasize individual caution and responsibility.

Panic will only cause confusion. A wholesale ban on persons from SARS-affected areas will only result in a false sense of security among the population. If people begin to think they are safe because their institution has protected them, they are far less likely to educate themselves as to the dangers and symptoms of the disease.

There are definitely constructive actions to take. For example, temporarily suspending study abroad programs in China was a good measure. Despite our instinctive fears, we need to take a sober look at the safety measures we take.

Sutton is a third-year, classical civilizations student. E-mail her at jsutton@media.ucla.edu.