# Why did SARS not spread to the same extent as COVID -19?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-sars-not-spread-to-the-same-extent-as-covid-19/848906>\
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone\
**Tags:** covid-quarantine\
**Created:** [March 4, 2020, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-sars-not-spread-to-the-same-extent-as-covid-19/848906 "2020-03-04T09:27:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-sars-not-spread-to-the-same-extent-as-covid-19/848906/1 "2020-03-04T09:27:16Z")

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Hi

Why did SARS (2003) not spread to the same extent as COVID-19 has been doing? It seems to me that Chinese tourism wasn’t what it is today and would have limited its worldwide reach. Was it the DNA vaccine for SARS that prevented its spread? What were the reasons  
I look forward to your feedback

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-sars-not-spread-to-the-same-extent-as-covid-19/848906/2 "2020-03-04T09:36:31Z")

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> [@davidmich](#):
>
> Hi
> 
> Why did SARS (2003) not spread to the same extent as COVID-19 has been doing? It seems to me that Chinese tourism wasn’t what it is today and would have limited its worldwide reach. Was it the DNA vaccine for SARS that prevented its spread? What were the reasons  
> I look forward to your feedback

It seems from my reading that it comes down to the degree of infectiousness. The original SARS was not as infectious as COVID-19.

> **[SARS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severe_acute_respiratory_syndrome)**
>
> Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory disease of zoonotic origin caused by the virus SARS-CoV-1, the first identified strain of the SARS-related coronavirus. The first known cases occurred in November 2002, and the syndrome caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak. In the 2010s, Chinese scientists traced the virus through the intermediary of Asian palm civets to cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in Xiyang Yi Ethnic Township, Yunnan.
> SARS was a relatively rare disease; at the end...

There is no vaccine for SARS. Clinical isolation and quarantine remain the most effective means to prevent the spread of SARS. Other preventive measures include:

Hand-washing  
Disinfection of surfaces for fomites  
Avoiding contact with bodily fluids  
Washing the personal items of someone with SARS in hot, soapy water (eating utensils, dishes, bedding, etc.)[8]  
Keeping children with symptoms home from school  
Simple hygiene measures  
Isolating oneself as much as possible to minimize the chances of transmission of the virus

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**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-sars-not-spread-to-the-same-extent-as-covid-19/848906/3 "2020-03-04T09:41:05Z")

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FYI, SARS has a much smaller latency period and unlike COVID19 it’s not infectious unless a person is showing symptoms. It’s a hell lot less infectious.