Beijing resident Brendan Smith describes living in a city where the fear of SARS suddenly took hold this week
It began last Sunday in a ground-breaking move for China's communist government and state-run media - and, indeed, the public at large. For more than two hours, a vice- minister for health dealt with allegations of incompetence and cover-up at a live press conference with foreign and Chinese journalists, aired in both Chinese and English and carried on all of the major networks throughout China's provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions.
Beijing admitted to mistakes and to a lack of readiness in its handling of the SARS crisis. The mayor of Beijing and the minister for health paid for them with their political careers.
All the ingredients are here for a Hollywood thriller. As is often the case, the biggest fear is fear itself, with panic and bizarre decisions the results. Over the past week, it has been difficult to separate fact from fiction in Beijing, with the rumour mill working overtime.
Since Tuesday it has been claimed on Chinese Internet sites, in chat rooms and via text messages that key buildings in the capital have been sealed, that main roads in and out of Beijing have been closed and that people are fleeing by train and plane.
The rumours sparked panic buying at some large supermarkets on Wednesday, with concerned residents stocking up on key staples such as rice, cooking oil and noodles as they prepared to take cover at home, venturing out as little as possible over next week.
Some supermarkets seized the initiative and had hiked prices by up to 50 per cent on Thursday morning. That evening, the state-run media were advising against panic and claiming the government would penalise retailers who overcharged for basic goods.
Locals were continuing to report yesterday that some main roads in and out of Beijing were blocked off. There has also been talk of martial law being declared, although such a move would be overly dramatic - and has been vigorously denied by the government.
What is certainly happening, however, is a massive media and public-information campaign that the authorities have launched over the past week.
Although often unwieldy and overly bureaucratic, China's Communist Party can display considerable organisational skills when the full weight of the organisation is brought to a matter.
By late on Sunday evening, Beijing was awash with bright green posters outlining both the symptoms of SARS and how to prevent and treat it.
There are 24-hour SARS hotlines, in both Chinese and English, and SARS phone-in programmes with health experts on Beijing TV. Hundreds of specialist cleaners, wearing what look like chemical suits, have fanned across the city, disinfecting potential hot spots.
The Beijing government is also prepared to go as far as quarantining people within their homes, workplaces and hospitals if required.
By yesterday afternoon, some domestic and foreign news agencies had reported the government had ordered 4,000 people to stay at home as a precautionary measure.
A very blunt message has been sent to Communist Party members, right down to the leaders of the smallest districts of Beijing, that failure to report cases of SARS and to take appropriate action will result in expulsion from the organisation.
Despite the efforts of both the government and the public, the city is suffering. The white cotton face masks that most residents now wear are a constant reminder of the presence of the disease.
Some people are opting to stay at home rather than turn up for work, schools have an early and extended spring break and the main commercial and entertainment centres of Beijing are eerily quiet.
It is still too early to estimate the economic impact on China, but leading investment banks and consultancies are looking at a 2 per cent contraction in economic growth for the second quarter.
The city's hospitals are stretched to their limits, and in some cases well beyond, with frightening stories being telephoned to friends and family from medical staff inside.
One colleague reported to me that his brother-in-law, a leading lung specialist, has not seen his wife and family for more than two weeks, as he is staying within the hospital grounds for fear of infecting others.
And SARS is already establishing itself as part of the routine of life in Beijing. The hawkers outside my apartment block, who sell pirate DVDs and CDs, have added face masks, surgical gloves and disinfectant to their list of wares.
Every morning, before I leave my home in the centre of the city to walk to my office on the 21st floor of World Trade Centre Tower 1, I put on my inner and outer face masks, then put my reserve face mask in my left pocket and hand-cleansing alcohol wipes and extra tissue paper in my right pocket.
I take solace from the fact that millions of others around the city are doing likewise as we learn to live with SARS.
Dr Brendan Smith, from Cootehill, Co Cavan, has lived in Beijing for three years, working as an academic and business analyst