Guest q650 Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr23/en/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CabinDweller Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 What a difference 40 hours makes. The alert (below) had everyone hopping. We now have some idea of what we’re dealing with. Now 10 Canadian cases confirmed (including the two deaths here in Ontario)! With more of each likely to follow. The good news: A) Treatment - a presumed positive for viral spores, which means no more shooting in the dark when it comes to a treatment approach. We can now be aggressive – once we figure out what works. Concentrating on a bacterial affront (there were a # of good indicators for this) may explain the initial lack of effect but reports from the Far East indicate it is particularly virulent. Risk Management – as the title suggests, many of you are the first point of outside contact for an infected person, even if you don’t work for an international carrier, you do know how small the aviation world is. Seek-out websites, learn the symptoms, memorize the high-risk Countries, get in the habit of protecting yourself. Viral usually means close contact for transmission (notice we’re still under “good news”). Avoid kissing strangers and don’t allow anyone to cough, sneeze or otherwise drip on you…or even in your direction. This little guy (aren’t most things that are annoying male) is fighting for its life and just wants to be fruitful and multiply (like most of us). Even something as seemingly innocuous as entering a room (10 minutes after an infected person sneezed – then left the room) could put you at risk. Don’t program Howard Hughes on your speed-dial just yet. The most important thing one can do is not touch your face with your hands. This is much harder than most of us realize. I won’t get preachy about how to wash hands but most of us fail here too. Those anti-bacterial hand gels are actually quite good at killing viruses as well, now with vitamin E moisturizing lotion. The bad news: A) Treatment – not straightforward how to treat, or with what. Which means trial and error when there’s no time for it. A new viral strain (for NA) just complicates things. Innoculation of course needs at least several weeks to build up the antibodies. There’s much to be learned about viruses and still many we don’t even know exist. Best evidenced in just this last decade when we learned that a (so far only one that we know of) virus can cause cancer. C) Risk Management – viruses can live for hours on surfaces. Particularly if a surface is damp – lying in wait for over 12 hours. Think - public door handles, escalator railings, elevator buttons, subway handholds, thrust levers, even the soap in the loo on board your shiny new airplane. Again HANDS HANDS HANDS! No cases within the US yet but you can rest assured most of the lights were on in Atlanta last night. From: DuHamel, Craig To: #SWCHSC/senior Cc: Subject: An Important Message for Senior Staff Sent: 3/14/03 5:21 PM Importance: High Attention Staff: On the evening of Friday March 14, a press conference will announce that a patient who has contracted or been exposed to a very severe respiratory illness has been admitted in isolation to Sunnybrook & Women’s. Infection control precautions were put in place before the patient’s arrival. This patient is currently receiving care and observation in isolation while on life support. At this time, we do not know the source of the illness, so Full Infection Control measures are being undertaken as a precaution. Due to the presence of IS105 discovered during an autopsy of another infected patient who suddenly died yesterday, terrorism is not suspected. CODE ORANGE (internal) has been upgraded to YELLOW status until transmission method and rate are defined. Ensure all your First Response Staff is aware of the situation and available over the weekend for fan-out procedures should the situation become epi/pandemic. We appreciate your continued commitment in caring for our patients, staff, volunteers and visitors. If you have any questions, please page Infection Control at 416.480.4244. Please find attached a message for patients, family members and visitors to Sunnybrook & Women's. /exchange/Attach/read.asp?obj=00000000F2A15684D8F1D2119CEF0008C7B153DB07000DE64FB885B5D2119CD20008C7B153DB000000121BE900007D6DF7410065D5119FB300034770EF15000001EB41560000&att=ATT-0-3773FB3B3F56D7119FCF000347710E13-RESPIL%7E2.DOCRESP ILLNESS Patient and Family.doc Thank you, Craig Craig DuHamel VP, Public Affairs Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Centre 2075 Bayview Avenue Toronto, Ontario March 14, 2003 Dear patients, family members and visitors: You may have heard through the media that Sunnybrook & Women’s is caring for a patient who has an unknown illness. A patient who has contracted or been exposed to a severe respiratory illness has been admitted in isolation to Sunnybrook & Women’s. Isolation precautions were put in place before the patient’s arrival at Sunnybrook & Women’s. At this time, we do not know the cause of illness, so Infection Prevention and Control measures are being undertaken as a precaution. Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions please speak to your nurse or doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azure Posted March 17, 2003 Share Posted March 17, 2003 Excellent advice, but another "percaution" is advisable. Physicians waiting rooms and the stacks of magazines.....ignore them! The last thing you need when your not feeling well is to leaf through a magazine that someone before you (and probably more ill) licked their fingers to leaf through. Bring your own reading material to pass the time and for children bring their own toys/books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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