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| SARS
and you |
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| If
you have a fever or are unwell,
do not go to work. See a doctor
and stay at home till you get
well. Don't forget to wear a
mask when you visit the doctor's
clinic. |
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SARS or Severe Atypical
Respiratory Syndrome is a viral infection which
causes atypical pneumonia in infected persons.
SARS is suspected to have originated from Guangdong province in China. It is
spread by droplet infection and close contact with SARS patients. Close contact
means having cared for, having lived with or having had direct contact with respiratory
secretions (eg. from coughing and sneezing) and body fluids (eg. saliva and mucus)
of a person with SARS. It is unlikely that the SARS virus is airborne, otherwise
a lot more people would have caught it by now.
SARS can result in death, but many do recover from it. It appears to be infectious
when these symptoms are present: |
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sudden
onset of high fever (body temperature persistently
above 38ºC) |
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dry
cough |
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chills
and shivering |
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muscle
aches |
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breathing
difficulties |
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Other
possible symptoms include weakness and fatigue,
rashes, loss of appetite and diarrhoea. The symptoms
tend to appear only after an incubation period
of
3 to 10 days.
SARS can kill. There is also no vaccination available to protect
you from the infection. However, do not panic.
To contain the SARS outbreak and to break the
chain of transmission, every one of us has a role to play. By adopting the practices
below, you can help minimise the risk of catching the SARS virus. |
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Practice
good personal hygiene and wash your hands frequently. |
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Do
not rub your nose, eyes or mouth unless you
have washed your hands. |
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Build
up your body’s resistance by maintaining
a balanced diet, getting adequate rest, staying
fit through exercise and avoiding smoking
and
stress. |
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Stay
away from crowds. |
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Stay
in well-ventilated areas. |
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Cough
or sneeze into a tissue paper or a handkerchief |
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Throw
tissue paper or litter into rubbish bins. |
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Do
not spit in public areas. |
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If
you have a fever or are unwell, do not go
to work. See a doctor and stay at home till
you get well. |
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If
you are unwell, wear a mask, especially when
you go to a doctor’s
clinic. |
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Heed
the World Health Organisation’s advice
and avoid travelling to the affected regions
for the time being, unless absolutely necessary. |
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Continue
routine cleaning of your household and common
areas. |
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Unless
you have been in contact with someone who is
confirmed to have SARS or who has been to an
affected area, you are probably not at risk.
However, if you have any of the SARS symptoms AND have travelled to China, Hong
Kong, Taiwan, Toronto or Hanoi within two weeks before the onset of the symptoms
OR have had close contact with persons diagnosed with SARS, call the ambulance
service to Tan Tock Seng Hospital: 993. The service is free. Do not travel by
public transport.
For further information, you can call the Ministry of Health’s hotline
at 1800-333 9999 from 8.30 am to 11.00 pm every day.
Contain the spread of SARS. Protect yourself, your family and the people around
you. Although there are no specific preventive measures against SARS, it is very
important for you to practise good personal hygiene and maintain a healthy lifestyle. |
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| For
more information, call: |
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Counselling
and Care Centre at 6536
6366 |
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Care
Corner (Mandarin) at
1800 353 5800 |
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Samaritans
of Singapore (24-hour
hotline) at 1800 221
4444 |
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Singapore
Association for Mental
Health (SAMH) at 1800
283 7019 |
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Website
http://www.hpb.gov.sg
http://www.healthylife.org.sg |
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To
find information related to the prevention
and spread of SARS, or the latest statistics,
check out www.sars.com.sg today.
For how you can join the fight against SARS as a StAR Force volunteer,
click here: www.nvc.org.sg. |
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