Preemptive quarantine a better answer

The news about the spread of A(H1N1) influenza is becoming more disturbing, with the number of patients rising sharply in Japan.

Worldwide, 40 countries in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the Americas have confirmed cases of the flu. More than 5,000 people in the United States have contracted the disease, with only two states still free from the epidemic. In New York, a middle school assistant principal and a boy have died within the past few days.

Little wonder that the American media have begun to ask for some national guidelines to prevent the flu from spreading further. Recently, the New York Times quoted New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as saying "there is no right answer" to preventing the spread of the disease, even as his city is closing schools.