Date:23/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/23/stories/2003042300560903.htm

Miscellaneous - Tidbits

Sars still popular

TAIPEI: A popular Taiwanese soft drink called Sars may raise a few eyebrows these days because of the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). But many here are still gulping down the root beer-like beverage without hesitation. Sars — a shortened version of its major ingredient, sarsaparilla — has been the flagship drink of the Hey Song Company since the 1940s. It tastes like root beer and is popular among Chinese because many of them believe sarsaparilla lowers body temperatures and prevent sore throats or other ailments. But some consumers were a little uneasy that the soft drink bore the same name as the deadly flu-like virus, a Hey Song spokeswoman said.