It has been nearly a month since Toronto has had a new locally acquired case of SARS. Last week the World Health Organization removed Toronto from the list of SARS-affected areas -- following a lift of the travel advisory against non-essential travel to Toronto near the end of April.

Being a somewhat paranoid life extensionist I began wearing a facemask on the subway in early April when SARS fears were high and continued the practice for over two weeks. I never saw another person wearing a mask on the subway, but there were noticeably fewer passengers.

I work as a computer programmer for a very paranoid institution -- one of Canada's largest banks. Early in April the bank moved employees supporting the same systems to different floors in case one floor had to be quarantined.

Employees visiting different floors were to wear facemasks. Antiseptic hand cleanser was placed in the washrooms and a sign encouraged employees to wash their hands both before and after using the toilet. I began holding paper towels when opening doors.

(I believe the greatest infection risk in the washroom is from touching facilities rather than genitals -- although infection can be transferred from hands to genitals during male urination if hands are not washed first. I think the prudish concept of genitals as extra-filthy causes scrupulous hand washing in many cases in which it is unnecessary.

It would make far more sense to wash hands after each handling of money.) I have a nose that is usually dripping and itchy. I am constantly blowing and cleaning-out my nose. I never go anywhere without a handkerchief. When I am sitting alone I find it hard to go for more than a few minutes without touching my eyes, nose, mouth or hair.

Having gone for 14 years without a sick day by keeping a healthy immune system I have not had to concern myself much with infection. But I am now much more conscious of my face-touching habits and am working to combat them. Shifting from my red handkerchiefs to tissue has made me more aware of the redness of my snot. I think my excessive interest in nose-cleaning has been irritating to my mucous membranes-- not good for resisting infection.

My high intake of Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids reduces my vulnerability to cardiovascular clots, but it also makes my gums and nasal membranes bleed more easily. Fortunately, I am seeing less red as a result of cleaning my nose less and being gentler when I do. (I refuse to use antihistamines because of neurological side effects.)

Life is returning to normal in Toronto. The subways are jammed again during rush hour. My coworker is returning to his desk next to mine next week because it is valuable for people supporting the same systems to be together.

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Having posted an "all clear" signal earlier on CryoNet I am obliged to post a retraction. The fact that there had not been a new case since April 20th and the fact that respiratory diseases tend to decline in the summer-- and the general belief that adequate controls had been taken -- caused many in Toronto (including me) to become complacent.

To keep things in perspective, however, the new cases have been within hospitals -- and stringent quarantines are being imposed. The death toll stands at 24 out of a population of 5 million in the greater

Toronto area. So I think there is still reasonable hope that SARS in Toronto can be brought under control even within hospitals reasonably quickly.

Ben Best