CU - the lerrace Standard,

ednesday, May 7, Z2UU3

HaT You NEED To
Know AsBouT SARS

a BC and Canada have made great progress in containing, treating and researching SARS, but unfortunately |
_. itwill be with us all for some time to come. It’s in our common interest to continue the battle against SARS,
___ working co-operatively with partners around the world to prevent its spread and ultimately to find a cure,

a We’ re Making Progress © oe ce
» To date, there have been no deaths from SARS in BC. Just four people: in BC have been identified as s probable S/ SARS cases,

--- and two of them have now fully recovered. There has been no transmission at the community level in BC, and there is no
~.. evidence of transmission by individuals who do not show symptoms, meaning the risk of contracting SARS is extremely

low for British Columbians.

~~. This has only been possible because British Columbians and all Canadians have done such a great job of listening to health
: care professionals and acting on their advice. Our health care professionals have done an outstanding job of identifying,
~ notifying and isolating people at risk and treating SARS patients. Together, we have demonstrated to the world that we can.

~~ contain SARS when we take reasonable precautions, listen to our health officials, and follow isolation procedures as appropriate.

We're Searching For Solutions

« We have the knowledge and technology to fight SARS. BC was the first, globally, to successfully uncover -the genetic
code —a key stepping stone in finding a vaccine and accurately diagnosing SARS.
* The BC government is committed to accelerating the search for a vaccine with a recent $2.6 million investment.
-. It typically can take three to five years to develop a vaccine, We want to reduce that time by half.
- «The world is working together. SARS has tested and improved our capacity to co-operate, communicate and

noe . respond to pandemics globally, And in early June the world’s scientists will meet in Geneva to share their

_ ‘knowledge and work towards a cure,

. But There’s More We Can Do

Know the symptoms
+ Symptoms are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath or breathing difficulties. To be at risk of SARS you need to
have had close contact with a known SARS case or have travelled to an affected area. (Contact Health Canada for
latest advisories.) _ .

eS Take reasonable precautions

~ “sash your hands, Hand-washing is the single most important procedure for preventing infections such as SARS.

~ Washing with plain soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds is the best prevention. Waterless (alcohol-based) ao

cleansers are also effective.
“¢Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
«Promptly dispose of any tissues or other articles that come into contact with fluid from your nose; mouth,
_. throat or eyes.
+ Continue to follow instructions from health professionals. _
+ The risk of transmitting SARS in public is extremely low. There i is no reason for returning traveller who do not.
show any symptoms to stay in quarantine. Tet

= Travel safely

+ Check travel advisories before you go. :
* Look for the latest Health Canada information at airports ando on airplanes.

- Airline passengers in affected areas are being screened before they board aircraft to minimize the risk of at an a ae

infectious person being on board an airplane.
«Flight crews are monitoring passengers for symptoms to ensure anyone who appears ill will be isolated by
~ a quarantine officer.
« There has been no evidence of any transmission attributed to airport contact.
-« New technologies at airports are being introduced by the government to screen for SARS.

: Lean more about SARS and stay informed

¢ For the latest information on SARS in BC, visit www-healthplanning.gov.bc.ca/pho/sars. html. or the BC Centre for

Disease Control Website, www.bccdc.org Ce eee

+ For the latest Canadian information and global travel advisories, contact Health Canada at Wwww.sars. ae ca Leas
or 1-800-454-8302 -

og + For world SARS information, contact the World Health Organization at www.who.int

 ¥ BCHealthCare

ced os - Provincial Fraser | Interior | Northern | Vancouver Coastal Vancouver Istand_
| Health Services | Health | Health | Health | Health Health