Tips for avoiding SARS

[paul]

The CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have released the following tips for travellers to areas affected by SARS:

• Educate yourselves and fellow travellers about the outbreak and its symptoms.

• Assemble a travel health kit containing basic first aid and medical supplies including a thermometer, household disinfectant, surgical masks, disposable gloves and alcohol-based hand rubs.

• Check with healthcare providers to make sure travellers are up to date with all of the recommended shots for international travel.

• Identify healthcare resources in your final destinations and research medical evacuation services.

To protect against SARS while in an infected area, the CDC recommends travellers:

• Wash their hands frequently.

• Avoid crowds as much as possible.

• Practice proper hand hygiene -- frequent washing or use of alcohol-based rubs.

• Wear surgical masks if in close contact with people who have respiratory symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath.

If becoming ill with fever and respiratory symptoms during a trip, the CDC strongly recommends travellers:

• Visit a healthcare provider.

• Limit contact with others as much as possible to help prevent the spread of any infectious illness.

• Wear a surgical mask but if unable to do so, encourage those in close contact to wear one.

• Use disposable gloves for any direct contact with body fluids, such as sweat, urine or feces, of a person with SARS.

• Never re-use gloves and never replace hand hygiene with gloves.

• Avoid sharing eating utensils, towels and bedding.

• Clean all surfaces such as toilets and sinks that have been soiled by body fluids with a household disinfectant while wearing gloves. Remember to wash hands afterwards and throw the gloves away.

When you return from an infected area, travellers should monitor their health for 10 days. Any traveler who develop symptoms during this time period should inform healthcare providers about their recent travels before seeing the practitioner.

Paul
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