Precautionary Measures to Prevent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

On 23 June 2003, WHO has removed Hong Kong from its list of areas with recent local transmission of SARS. To prevent the re-emergence of SARS, we must continue to maintain our vigilance and take all the necessary precautionary measures as required.

· Consult your doctor promptly if you develop respiratory symptoms such as fever, malaise, chills, headache, joint pain, dizziness, rigors, cough, sore throat and runny nose – EARLY TREATMENT is the KEY.

· Build up good body immunity. This means taking a proper diet, having regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing stress and avoiding smoking

· Maintain good personal hygiene. Cover nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing.

· Wear a face mask if you have respiratory infection symptoms or if you develop a runny nose, sore throat and cough.

· Keep hands clean and wash hands properly. Use liquid soap for hand washing and disposable towel for drying hands

· Wash hands when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions e.g. after sneezing

· Regularly wash your hands, particularly after touching communal objects such as hand railings, lift buttons, and door knobs and handles

· Do not touch your nose, eyes or mouth without washing your hands first with soap and water. Wiping hands with alcohol swabs can also help to kill the virus

· Carefully dispose of materials used to wipe respiratory secretions e.g. paper handkerchief – use disposable paper handkerchiefs, not cotton type

· Shower immediately after returning from work and change into clean clothes. Remember to wash hair and the spectacles

· Do not share towels

· Keep home environment clean, and cleanse furniture properly

· Maintain good indoor ventilation by opening windows from time to time.

· Avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation

Caring for sick family members with respiratory tract infections:

· Persons who are unwell should consult a doctor

· They should follow instructions given by the doctor including the use of drugs as prescribed and taking adequate rest appropriate

· Adhere to good personal hygiene practices

· Patients should put on masks to reduce the chance of spread of infection to caretakers

· Caretakers may also put on masks to reduce the chance of acquiring infection through the airways

(For further information, please contact Mrs Kan at 2609 6436 or visit the homepage of Department of Health http://www.info.gov.hk/dh/ap.htm or hotline at 2833 0111)

Updated on 27 June 2003

HAND WASHING

Why is hand washing important?

SARS viruses can survive in the environment for up to a few hours, so it's possible that a contaminated object could serve as a vehicle for transfer to someone else (although most of the information suggests that fairly prolonged contact, on a face-to-face basis, is typical of the transmissions).

Your hands may pick up infection from other sources and then you infect yourself when you touch your eye; or your nose; or your mouth.

Hand washing, when done correctly, is one of the effective ways to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Good hand washing technique is easy to learn and can reduce the spread of SARS.

Frequent hand washing is highly recommended. However, it is especially important to wash your hands

Before you touch your eye; or your nose; or your mouth.
before, during, and after you prepare food
before you eat, and after you use the bathroom
before you handle your baby or after touching other persons e.g. shaking hands
more frequently when someone in your home is sick
when your hands are dirty, and
after handling animals

What is good hand washing technique?

There is more to hand washing than you may think! By rubbing your hands vigorously with soapy water, the soap lather suspends both the dirt and infective organisms trapped inside and are then quickly washed away.

Follow these 5 simple steps to keeping hands clean:

Wet your hands with running water, (warm running water if available);
Add liquid soap, then rub your hands together, making a soapy lather. Do this away from the running water for at least 10 seconds, being careful not to wash the lather away. Wash the front and back of your hands, as well as between your fingers and under your nails. Don’t forget the wrists.
Rinse your hands well under the running water. Let the water run back into the sink, not down to your elbows.
Turn off the water with a paper towel and dispose the towel in a proper receptacle.
Dry hands thoroughly with a disposal paper towel, or with a hand dryer, if available.

What type of soap should be used?

Any type of liquid soap may be used. Liquid soap containers could be used until empty and cleaned before refilling.

The use of an alcohol-based hand rub is also appropriate as an alternative when hand washing facilities are not readily available.

What are some mistakes I should avoid regarding hand washing?

Don’t use a single damp cloth to wash, clean, or dry hands
Don’t use a standing basin of water to rinse hands.
Don’t use a common hand towel. Always use disposable towels.

Keep your Toilet Hygienic

· To prevent the spread of atypical pneumonia, it is very important to keep the toilet hygienic.

· Cleanse your toilet facilities with 1:99 diluted household bleach at least once a day.

· Toilet users should observe good personal hygiene.

· At home, flush the toilet properly as follows:

- Dispose of used toilet paper into the toilet bowl.

- Lower the lid before flushing to prevent water in the toilet bowl from splashing.

- Wait for the flushing to cease, then raise the lid.

- Disinfect the lid, seat and rim of the toilet with diluted household bleach (prepared by mixing 1 part of bleach with 49 parts of water), then rinse with water and wipe dry.

- Pour some household bleach into the toilet bowl and leave the bleach there.

- Then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Cleaners of toilets in offices, hostels or other public places should also observe the above hygiene and disinfection practices, whenever possible.