Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): Prevention

To prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors. Behavioral risk factors

• Avoid contact with ill persons in the phase of infection.Transmission usually occurs by droplet infection, less frequently by direct contact with the virus, for example, through hand contact.

Prevention measures

• Hand washing (under running water with soap and water (for at least 15-20 seconds); soaping hands well and then rinsing off the soap scum thoroughly; if necessary, hand disinfection afterwards)
  • Always after:
    • Direct contact with other people
    • Coming home
    • Coughing and sneezing
    • Blowing the nose
    • Going to the toilet
    • Contact with animals
  • Always before:
    • Food preparation
    • The food
• Avoid handshakes and hugs to greet.
• Keep your distance from people who are coughing or sneezing.
• Turn away when coughing or sneezing, if possible sneeze into the crook of the elbow.
• As little as possible touch mouth, nose or eyes with their own hands.
• Nasal-mouth protection (MNS): wearing MNS by all members of the household and the sick themselves.
• Hand disinfection: Apply agents with proven efficacy, with the range of action “limited virucidal” (effective against enveloped viruses), “limited virucidal PLUS” or “virucidal”.