Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Version 2

Supplement I: Infection Control in Healthcare, Home, and Community Settings

Summary
May 3, 2005

Goals

• Ensure early recognition of patients at risk for SARS-CoV disease.
• Prevent transmission of SARS-CoV by implementing appropriate infection control precautions.

Key concepts

• SARS-CoV can be efficiently transmitted in healthcare settings if patients with SARS-CoV disease are not immediately recognized and if infection control precautions are not applied.
• Basic infection control measures are effective in preventing SARS-CoV transmission.
• Administrative measures designed to facilitate early recognition of patients with SARS-CoV disease are a critical component of SARS prevention strategies.

• Reinforce basic infection control practices among healthcare workers.
• Take steps to reduce transmission of respiratory viruses from symptomatic persons at the time of initial encounter with the healthcare setting.
• Develop triage strategies that ensure early recognition of patients at risk for SARS- CoV disease.
• Develop plans for appropriate SARS infection control precautions in inpatient and outpatient healthcare facilities, homes, and community isolation facilities.
• Ensure appropriate management and follow-up monitoring of healthcare workers who have had exposures to and other contacts with SARS patients.