Maybe they are just trying to avoid a repeat of the Hong Kong flu of 69 that killed over a million people?
Influenza A virus subtype H3N2 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I might be missing something, but isn't it a good thing that governments have been seen to over react, and it hasnt turned out to be so severe as first thought?
If anything, it shows a more mature approach than SARS, where the head in the sand technique was unillaterally adopted?
Now all we need to see is the Chinese and HKG governments not pick and choose WHO reccomendations that suit them politically and financially, and also implement other WHO recommendations like Air quality. I'm not holding my breath, but wish I could.