'We should not get paranoid'

A single case of meat contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, was confirmed on Dec. 23 in the United States, based on samples taken on Dec. 9. The news has raised concerns over the safety of meat sold in the country. The central government has repeatedly told the public not to panic over mad cow disease, but most locals have little knowledge of the disease. The Jakarta Post talked several Jakartans who have taken up their own precautionary measures.

Tuti, 32, is a housewife whose husband is head of the RW1 community unit in Kramat, Central Jakarta, where they live with their two children:

After the news spread about mad cow disease, my family immediately stopped eating meat, even local meat. There is no way for us to tell whether the meat is local or imported.

We have started eating more fish and vegetables instead. They are better for our health and are disease-free, right?

Even if we decided to eat at an American fast-food restaurant, we would still avoid foods that use beef. We prefer chicken to beef; they are safer.

I only hope that fear of this disease will die down soon.

Sisca, 25, works at a private company and lives with her parents in Karawaci, Tangerang:

Mad cow disease? What's that? Is it some kind of new disease that afflicts cows?

I've never heard of it. I don't read newspapers much.

Is it contagious? Is it dangerous?

Juli, 24, is a marketing executive of a cafe and lives with her parents in West Jakarta:

I know about the disease from the papers. I don't really quite understand how the disease works, but I know that it's dangerous and is so far incurable.

I still eat beef, though, because I think we shouldn't get paranoid about this mad cow stuff. Of course, don't eat imported beef, but I think local beef is okay.

Besides, the government has said that we only imported a little from the U.S. So, I think it's okay to eat local beef. Just stay away from imported beef.

--The Jakarta Post