How To Prevent Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Wear A Mask

Since the SARS virus is transmitted through the air, individuals may wish to wear a mask when they are around infected patients or out in public. Indeed, during the SARS pandemic in the early 2000s, individuals frequently wore masks while traveling through crowded areas and using public transportation. The mask not only helps protect individuals from infection through droplets, but it also serves to catch any droplets the wearer may release through coughing and sneezing, thus protecting others from exposure. Studies of flu and the common cold, both of which can be transmitted through the air, have shown the combination of wearing a mask and practicing proper hand washing techniques can reduce an individual's risk of these illnesses by up to eighty percent. Individuals who wish to wear a mask typically choose from facemasks or respirators. While facemasks protect against the inhalation of large droplets, smaller droplets can still pass through these masks. Respirators prevent the inhalation of both large and small droplets. Facemasks should never be reused; a new facemask should be worn each time an individual goes out or tends to a sick person.

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